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LIBRARY'       ^ 

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94  lA 


MONUMENT  TO  JUNIPERO  SERRA  IN  GOLDEN  GATE  PARK. 
"  His  memory  still  rests  like  a  benediction  over  the  noble  State 
which  he  rescued  from  savagery." 


SPANISH  AND  INDIAN 

PLACE  NAMES  OF 

CALIFORNIA 

THKIR  MKANINC;  AND    IHl.IR   RO.MANCK 

NELLIE  VAN    DE   GRIFT   SANCHEZ 


A.  M.    KOHEKISON 

SAN   FRANCISCO.   CAI  llOKMA 

MDCCCCXn 

f9ff 
35  ^V^ 


COPYRIGHT,  1914 

BY 
A.  M.  ROBERTSON 


•  •  . .« 

•    ?•*•!.•      •      ,...    ••• 

•  *.     •••   ••  ;••  • 

•  •  •••  :•:  ."v ..':  •;•: 


■     •  •••         ! 


•     •     ..... 

I  •:  •*:  •••  


San  7ranctsco 


I 

m 


U 


\0(o 


TO  MY  SON 


AN  ACKNOWLEDGMENT 

The  author  wishes  to  express  grateful  appreciation  of 
generous  aid  given  in  the  ])reparation  of  this  book  by 
Herbert  E.  Bolton,  Ph.  D.,  Professor  of  American  History 
in  the  University  of  California. 

Acknowledgment  is  also  due  to  Dr.  A.  L.  Kroeber, 
Assistant  Professor  of  Anthropology,  Dr.  Harvey  M.  Hall, 
Assistant  Professor  of  Economic  Botany,  Dr.  John  C. 
Merriam,  Professor  of  Palaeontology,  Dr.  Andrew  C. 
Lawson,  Professor  of  Geology  and  Mineralogy,  all  of  the 
University  of  California;  Mr.  John  Miiir,  I'atluT  Zephy- 
rin  Phigelhardt,  O.  E.  M.,  Mr.  Charles  B.  Turrill,  of  San 
Erancisco,  and  many  other  persons  in  \arious  parts  of  the 
state  for  their  courtesy  in  furnishing  points  of  informati»)n. 

For  the  sources  used  in  the  work,  the  author  is  in- 
debted, in  great  measure,  to  the  Bancroft  Library  at  the 
University  of  California,  and  to  the  many  writers  from 
whose  works  (luolalions  ha\e  been  freely  used. 


"  NONE  CAN  CARE  FOR  LITERATURE  IN  ITSELF  WHO 
DOES  NOT  TAKE  A  SPECIAL  PLEASURE  IN  THE  SOUND  OF 
names;  and  there  is  no  part  of  the  world  WHERE 
NOMENCLATURE  IS  SO  RICH,  POETICAL,  HUMOROUS,  AND 
PICTURESCUE  AS  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA.  .  .  . 
THE  NAMES  OF  THE  STATES  AND  TERRITORIES  THEMSELVES 
FORM  A  CHORUS  OF  SWEET  AND  MOST  ROMANTIC  VOCABLES ; 
....  THERE  ARE  FEW  POEMS  WITH  A  NOBLER  MUSIC 
FOR  THE  EAR;  A  SONGFUL,  TUNEFUL  LAND;  AND  IF  THE 
NEW  HOMER  SHALL  ARISE  FROM  THE  WESTERN  CONTINENT, 
HIS  \ERSE  WILL  BE  ENRICHED,  HIS  PAGES  SING  SPON- 
TANEOUSLY, WITH  THE  NAMES  OF  STATES  AND  CITIES 
THAT  WOULD  STRIKE  THE  FANCY  IN  A  BUSINESS  CIRCULAR." 

KOBKRT    I.Ol'IS    STF.VKN'SON. 


TABLE  OF  CX)XTENTS 

Pac.f. 
CHAPTER  I 
Introduction 3 

CHAPTER  II 
California i.^ 

CHAPTER  TIT 
T\  AND  About  San  Diego       ......     21 

CHAPTER  IV 
Los  Angeles  and  her  Neighbors 51 

CHAPTER  V 

I\  the  Vicinity  of  Santa  B.a.rbara  S<) 

CHAPTER  M 
The  San  Luis  Obispo  Group '  ^  7 

CHAPTER  VII 

In  the  Neighborhood  of  Monterey  i  ^  ^ 

CH.VPTER  Mil 

The  Sant.v  Cl.vra  Valley '"7 

rilAin'ER   IX 
Around  Sax  Fr.vncisco  I'.as ^'^^ 


TABLE        OF         CONTENTS 


Page 
CHAPTER  X 

North  of  San  Francisco 241 

CHAPTER  XI 
The  Central  Valley 265 

CHAPTER  XII 

In  the  Sierras 235 

Pronunciation  of  Spanish  Names 335 

CHAPTER  XIII 

Final  List  and  Index 347-444 

Addenda 445 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

Mission  of  San  Diego  de  Alcala,  Founded  in 

1769 23 

Mission  of  San  Antonio  de  Pala,   Founded  i\ 

1816 31 

Archway  at  Capistrano 37 

Mission  of  San  Gabriel  Arcangel,  Founded  in 

1771 67 

Mission  of  Santa  Barbara 91 

Mission  of  Santa  Inez,   Founded  in   1804  .    iii 

Mission  of  San  Luis  Obispo,  Founded  in  1772  .  119 
Mission  of  San   Miguel,  Founded  in  1797  125 

Monterey  in  1850 135 

Mission  of  San  Carlos  Borromeo,  Founded  in 

1770 1.^9 

Interior  of  the   Quadrangle    at   San   Carlos 

Mission 14,1 

La  Punta    de  los  Cipreses 149 

Mission  of  San  Juan  Bautista,  Founded  ix  1797  155 
Mission  of  Santa  Clara,  Founded  in  1777  .  .  169 
The  Palo  Colorado  (Redwood  Tree)  i75 

The   City  of  Verba   Buena   (San   Francisco  in 

1846-47) ...   187 

Mission   of   San    I'rancisco   de   Asis,   commonly 

CALLED  Mission  Dolores 195 


LIST     OF     illustratio;ns 


i  Page 

The  Golden  Gate 201 

The  Farallones 209 

Tamalpais 215 

The  Mission  of  San  Rafael,  Founded  IN1817     .  221 

Napa  Valley 243 

Mount  Shasta 253 

El  Rio  DE  LOS  Santos  Reyes  (the  River  of  the 

Holy  Kings) 279 

In  the  Sierra  Nevadas 284 

In  the  High  Sierras 295 

El  Rio  DE  LAS  Plumas  (Feather  River)  .      .      .  301 

El  Rio  DE  LOS  Americanos  (American  River)     .  307 

Shore  of  Lake  Tahoe 313 

Mariposa  Sequoias 319 

Vernal  Falls  in  the  Yosemite  Valley    .  325 

Map  of  the  Missions 343 

Kaweah  Mountains 383 

The  Mission  of  PuRisiMA  Concepcion,  Founded 

IN  1880 409 

The  Tallac  Trail  to  Tahoe 437 


XNTRppUCTION£    ^ 


lis 


INTRODUCTION. 

This  volume  has  been  prepared  in  the  hope 
that  it  may  serve,  not  only  as  a  source  of  enter- 
tainment to  our  own  people,  but  also  as  a  useful 
handbook  for  the  schools,  and  as  a  sort  of  tour- 
ist's guide  for  those  who  visit  the  state  in  such 
numbers,  and  who  almost  invariably  exhibit  a 
lively  interest  in  our  Spanish  and  Indian  place 
names. 

We  of  California  are  doubly  rich  in  the  matter 
of  names,  since,  in  addition  to  the  Indian  nomen- 
clature common  to  all  the  states,  we  possess  tlie 
s])lendid  heritage  left  us  b)'  those  bold  a(l\cn- 
turers  from  Castile  who  first  set  foot  ujwn  our 
shores.  In  these  names  the  s])irit  of  our  romantic 
past  still  li\es  and  breathes,  and  their  sound  is 
like  an  echo  coming  down  the  years  to  tell  ot  that 
other  day  when  the  savage  built  his  bee-hive  huts 
on  the  river-banks,  and  liu'  SjKmish  caballero 
jingled  his  spurs  along  the  Camino  Real. 

3 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


And  in  what  manner,  it  may  well  be  asked, 
have  we  been  caring  for  this  priceless  heritage, — 
to  keep  it  pure,  to  preserve  its  inspiring  history, 
to  present  it  in  proper  and  authentic  form  for  the 
instruction  and  entertainment  of  ''the  stranger 
within  our  gates,"  as  well  as  for  the  education  of 
our  own  youth?  As  the  most  convincing  answer 
to  this  question,  some  of  the  numerous  errors  in 
works  purporting  to  deal  with  this  subject,  many 
of  which  have  even  crept  into  histories  and  books 
for  the  use  of  schools,  will  be  corrected  in  these 
pages. 

In  the  belief  that  the  Spanish  and  Indian  names 
possess  the  greatest  interest  for  the  public,  both 
"tenderfoot"  and  native,  they  will  be  dealt  with 
here  almost  exclusively,  excepting  a  very  few  of 
American  origin,  whose  stories  are  so  involved 
with  the  others  that  they  can  scarcely  be  omitted. 
In  addition,  there  are  a  number  that  appear  to 
be  of  Anglo-Saxon  parentage,  but  are  in  reality 
to  be  counted  among  those  that  have  suffered 
the  regrettable  fate  of  translation  into  English 
from  the  original  Spanish.  Of  such  are  Kings 
County  and  River,  which  took  their  names  from 
El  Rio  de  los  Santos  Reyes  (the  River  of  the  Holy 


T  H  E  1  R      M  E  A  N  I  N  G      A  \  1)      li  O  A I  A  X  C  V. 


\ 


Kings),  and  the  Feather  River,  originally  El  Rio  \j 
dc  las  Plumas  (the  Ri\'er  of  the  Feathers).  ' 

While  searching  for  the  beginnings  of  these 
names  through  the  diaries  of  the  early  Spanish  I 
explorers  and  other  sources,  a  number  of  curious 
stories  ha\'e  been  encountered,  which  are  shared 
with  the  reader  in  the  belief  that  he  will  l)e  glad 
to  know  something  of  the  romance  lying  behind 
the  nomenclature  of  our  "songful,  tuneful"  land. 

It  is  a  matter  of  deep  regret  that  the  work 
must  of  necessity  be  incomplete,  the  sources  of 
information  being  so  scattered,  and  so  often  un- 
reliable, that  it  has  been  found  impossible  to  trace 
all  the  names  to  their  origin. 

Indian  words  are  especially  difficult;  in  fact, 
as  .soon  as  we  enter  that  field  we  step  into  the 
mist\-  land  of  legend,  where  all  becomes  doubt 
and  uncertainty.  That  such  should  be  the  case 
is  inevitable.  Scientific  study  of  the  nati\c  Cali- 
fornian  languages,  of  which  there  were  so  many  as 
to  constitute  a  veritable  Babel  of  tongues  among 
the  multitude  of  small  tribes  inhabiting  this  region, 
was  begun  in  such  rcicnt  limes  that  but  lew  abo- 
rigines were  left  to  le'li  the  story  ol  tlieir  names, 
and  those  few  retained  but  a  dim  nKiiiorx  ol  the 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


old  days.  In  view  of  the  unsatisfactory  nature 
of  this  information,  stories  of  Indian  origin  will 
be  told  here  with  the  express  qualification  that 
their  authenticity  is  not  vouched  for,  except  in 
cases  based  upon  scientific  evidence.  Some  of  the 
most  romantic  among  them,  when  put  to  the 
"acid  test"  of  such  investigation,  melt  into  thin 
air.  In  a  general  way,  it  may  be  said  that  Indian 
names  were  usually  derived  from  villages,  rather 
than  tribes,  and  that,  in  most  cases,  their  meaning 
has  been  lost. 

In  the  case  of  Spanish  names,  we  have  a  rich 
mine  in  the  documents  left  behind  by  the  methodi- 
cal Spaniards,  who  maintained  the  praiseworthy 
custom  of  keeping  minute  accounts  of  their  travels 
and  all  circumstances  connected  therewith.  From 
these  sources  the  true  stories  of  the  origin  of  some 
of  our  place  names  have  been  collected,  and  are 
retold  in  these  pages,  as  far  as  possible,  in  the 
language  of  their  founders.  Unfortunately,  the 
story  can  not  always  be  run  to  earth,  and  in  such 
cases,  the  names,  with  their  translation,  and 
sometimes  an  explanatory  paragraph,  will  appear 
in  a  supplementary  list  at  the  end  of  the  volume. 
The   stories  have  been  arranged   in  a   series  of 

6 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


groups,  according  Lo  their  geographical  location, 
beginning  with  San  Diego  as  the  most  logical 
point,  since  it  was  there  that  the  first  mission  was 
established  by  the  illustrious  Junipero  Serra,  and 
there  that  the  history  of  California  practically 
began.  The  arrangement  of  these  groups  is  not 
arbitrary,  but,  in  a  general  way,  follows  the  course 
of  Spanish  Empire,  as  it  took  its  way,  first  up  the 
coast,  then  branching  out  into  the  interior  \alley, 
and  climbing  the  Sierras. 

Some  of  the  stories  may  appear  as  "twice-told 
tales"  to  scholars  and  other  persons  to  whom  they 
have  long  been  familiar,  but  are  included  here  for 
the  benefit  of  the  stranger  and  the  many  "native 
sons"  who  have  had  no  oi)portunity  to  become 
acquainted  with  them. 

A  few  words  in  regard  to  the  method  of  naming  I 
places  customary  among  the  Sjianish  exi)lvrers 
may  help  the  reader  to  a  better  understanding  of 
results.  The  military  and  religious  members  of 
the  parties  were  naturally  inllueiued  I)\  <)i)p()sile 
ideas,  and  so  they  went  at  it  in  two  different  wa\  s. 
The  i)adres,  as  a  matter  of  course,  almost  iinari- 
abl\-  ( liose  names  of  a  rehgious  character,  \ery 
often  the  name  of  the  saint  upon  whose  "day" 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


jthe  party  happened  to  arrive  at  a  given  spot. 
I 'This  tendency  resulted  in  the  multitude  of  Sans 
\  and  Santas  with  which  the  map  of  our  state  is  so 
generously  sprinkled,  and  which  are  the  cause  of 
a  certain  monotony.  Fortunately  for  variety's 
sake,  the  soldiers  possessed  more  imagination,  if 
less  religion,  than  the  padres,  and  were  generally 
influenced  by  some  striking  circumstance,  per- 
haps trivial  or  humorous,  but  always  character- 
istic, and  often  picturesque.  In  many  cases  the 
choice  of  the  soldiers  has  out-lived  that  of  the 
fathers. 

Broadly  speaking,  it  may  be  said  that  names 
were  first  applied  to  rivers,  creeks  or  mountains, 
as  being  those  natural  features  of  the  country 
most  important  to  the  welfare,  or  even  the  very 
existence,  of  the  exploring  parties.  For  instance, 
the  Merced  (Mercy),  River  was  so-called  because 
it  was  the  first  drinking  water  encountered  by  the 
party  after  having  traversed  forty  miles  of  the  hot, 
dr\'  valley.  Then,  as  time  passed  and  the  country 
developed,  towns  were  built  upon  the  banks 
of  these  streams,  frequently  receiving  the 
same  names,  and  these  were  often  finally  adopted 
to  designate  the  counties  established  later  in  the 

8 


THEIR      M  E  A  N  I  N  G     A  NT)      R  U  M  A  N  C  E 


regions  through  wliich  their  waters  flow.  Tn  this  ^ 
way  Plumas  County  (leri\ed  its  name  from  the 
Feather  River,  originally  El  Rio  de  las  Plumas, 
and  Kings  County  from  El  Rio  dc  los  Reyes  (the 
River  of  the  Kings).  This  way  of  naming  was, 
however,  not  invariable. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  the  name  has  dis- 
appeared from  the  ma]),  while  the  story  remains, 
and  some  such  stories  will  be  told,  partl\'  for  their 
own  interest,  and  partly  for  the  light  the>-  throw 
u]^()n  a  past  age. 

Among  our  Spanish  names  there  is  a  certain 
class  given  to  ])laces  in  modern  times  1)\'  Ameri- 
cans in  u  praiseworthy  attem|)t  to  preserve  the 
romantic  flavor  of  the  old  days.  Unfortunately, 
an  insuflkient  knowledge  of  the  syntax  and 
etymolog}-  of  the  Spanish  language  has  resulted 
in  some  im])roper  combinations.  Such  names,  lor 
instance,  as  Moiilc  \'is(a  (Mountain  or  I'orest 
View),  LoiHn  I'islii  (Mill  \'iew),  Rio  \'lsUi  (  Rixi-r 
View),  etc.,  grate  upon  the  ears  of  a  Spaniard. 
who  would  never  combine  two  nouns  in  this  wa\'. 
The  correct  forms  for  these  names  would  be 
\'isla  del  Monte  (View  of  the  .Mountain),  Visla  dr 
hi  Lonia  (View  of  the   Hill),   l'/.v/(/  il<i    Rio  (N'iew 


I    I 


9 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


of  the  River),  etc.  Between  this  class  of  modern 
Spanish  names,  more  or  less  faulty  in  construc- 
tion, given  by  "Spaniards  from  Kansas,"  as  has 
been  humorously  said,  and  the  real  old  names  of 
the  Spanish  epoch  about  which  a  genuine  halo  of 
romance  still  clings,  there  is  an  immense  gulf. 

In  the  numerous  quotations  used  in  this  book, 
the  language  of  the  original  has  generally  been 
retained,  with  no  attempt  to  change  the  form  of 
expression.  In  spite  of  the  most  conscientious 
efforts  to  avoid  them,  unreliability  of  sources  may 
cause  some  errors  to  find  their  way  into  these 
pages;  for  these  the  author  hopes  not  to  be  held 
responsible. 


lO 


jf^'^C   ^ALIFOR^NI:^ 


V. 


II 

CALIFORNIA 

First  comes  the  name  of  California  herself, 
the  sin  par  (peerless  one),  as  Don  Quixote  says 
of  his  Dulcinea.  This  name,  strange  to  say, 
was  a  matter  of  confusion  and  conjecture  for 
many  years,  until,  in  1862,  Edward  Everett  Hale 
accidentally  hit  u])on  the  explanation  since  ac- 
cepted by  historians. 

Several  theories,  all  more  or  less  fanciful  and 
far-fetched,  were  based  upon  the  supposed  con- 
struction of  the  word  from  the  Latin  calida  fornax 
(hot  oven),  in  reference  either  to  the  hoi,  dry 
climate  of  Lower  California,  or  to  the  "sweat- 
houses"  in  use  among  the  Indians.  Such  theories 
not  only  ])resuppose  a  knowledge  of  Latin  not 
likely  to  exist  among  the  hard}-  int-n  who  iir>l 
landed  ui)on  our  western  shores  l)ul  also  indicate 
a  labored  method  of  naming  jilaces  quite  contrary 
to  their  custom  of  seizing  upon  somr  direct  and 
obsious  circumstance   ui)on    which    to   base    thrir 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


choice.  In  all  the  length  and  breadth  of  Cahfornia 
few,  if  any,  instances  exist  where  the  Spaniards 
invented  a  name  produced  from  the  Latin  or 
Greek  in  this  far-fetched  way.  They  saw  a  big 
bird,  so  they  named  the  river  where  they  saw  it 
El  Rio  del  Pdjaro  (the  River  of  the  Bird),  or  they 
suffered  from  starvation  in  a  certain  canyon,  so 
they  called  it  La  Canada  del  Hamhre  (the  Canyon 
of  Hunger),  or  they  reached  a  place  on  a  certain 
saint's  day,  and  so  they  named  it  for  that  saint. 
They  were  practical  men  and  their  methods  were 
simple. 

In  any  case,  since  Mr.  Hale  has  provided  us 
with  a  more  reasonable  explanation,  all  such 
theories  may  be  passed  over  as  unworthy  of  con- 
sideration. While  engaged  in  the  study  of  Spanish 
literature,  he  was  fortunate  enough  to  run  across 
a  copy  of  an  old  novel,  published  in  Toledo  some- 
time between  1510  and  1521,  in  which  the  word 
California  occurred  as  the  name  of  a  fabulous 
island,  rich  in  minerals  and  precious  stones,  and 
said  to  be  the  home  of  a  tribe  of  Amazons.  This 
novel,  entitled  Las  Sergas  de  Esplandidn  (The 
Adventures  of  Esplandian),  was  written  by  the 
author,  Garcia  Ordonez  de  Montalvo,  as  a  sequel 

14 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


to  the  famous  novel  of  chi\-alry,  Amadis  of  Gaul, 
of  which  he  was  the  translator.  The  two  works 
were  printed  in  the  same  volume.  Alontalvo's 
romance,  although  of  small  literary  value,  had  a 
considerable  vogue  among  Spanish  readers  of  the 
day,  and  that  its  pages  were  probably  familiar 
to  the  early  explorers  in  .America  is  proved  by  the 
fact  that  Bernal  Diaz,  one  of  the  companions  of 
Cortes,  often  mentions  the  Amadis,  to  which  tlic 
story  of  Esplandian  was  attached.  The  passage 
containing  the  name  that  has  since  become  famous 
in  all  the  high- ways  and  by-wa}'s  of  the  world 
runs  as  follows:  "Know  that  on  the  right  hand 
of  the  Indies  there  is  an  island  called  California. 
very  near  to  the  terrestrial  paradise,  which  was 
peopled  by  black  women,  without  any  men  among 
them,  for  they  were  accustomed  to  live  after  the 
manner  of  Amazons.  They  were  of  strong  and 
hardened  bodies,  of  ardent  courage  and  of  great 
force.  The  island  was  the  strongest  in  the  world, 
from  its  stee])  rocks  and  great  cliffs.  'Huir  arms 
were  all  of  gold  and  so  were  the  caparisons  of  the 
wild  beasts  11k'\-  rode." 

It  was  during  the  ])eri()(l  when  this  noNcI  was 
at  the  height  of  its  popularity  that  Cortes  wrote 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


to  the  King  of  Spain  concerning  information  he 
had  of  "an  island  of  Amazons,  or  women  only, 
abounding  in  pearls  and  gold,  lying  ten  days 
journey  from  Colima."  After  having  sent  one 
expedition  to  explore  the  unknown  waters  in  that 
direction,  in  1535  or  thereabout,  an  expedition 
that  ended  in  disaster,  he  went  himself  and 
planted  a  colony  at  a  point,  probably  La  Paz, 
on  the  coast  of  Lower  California.     In  his  diarv  of 

mil 

this  expedition,  Bernal  Diaz  speaks  of  California 
as  a  "bay,"  and  it  is  probable  that  the  name  was 
first  applied  to  some  definite  point  on  the  coast, 
afterward  becoming  the  designation  of  the  whole 
region.  The  name  also  occurs  in  Preciado's  diary 
of  Ulloa's  voyage  down  the  coast  in  1539,  making 
it  reasonable  to  suppose  that  it  was  adopted  in  the 
period  between  1535  and  1539,  whether  by  Cortes 
or  some  other  person  can  not  be  ascertained. 

Bancroft  expresses  the  opinion  that  the  followers 
of  Cortes  may  have  used  the  name  in  derision, 
to  express  their  disappointment  in  finding  a 
desert,  barren  land  in  lieu  of  the  rich  country  of 
their  expectations,  but  it  seems  far  more  in  keep- 
ing with  the  sanguine  nature  of  the  Spaniards  that 
their  imaginations  should  lead  them  to  draw  a 

16 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


parallel  between  the  rich  island  of  the  novel,  with 
its  treasures  of  gold  and  silver,  and  the  new  land, 
of  whose  wealth  in  pearls  and  precious  metals 
some  positive  proof,  as  well  as  many  exaggerated 
tales,  had  reached  them. 

An  argument  that  seems  to  clinch  the  matter 
of  the  origin  of  the  name  is  the  extreme  improb- 
ability that  two  dilYerent  persons,  on  opposite 
sides  of  the  world,  should  have  invented  exactly 
the  same  word,  at  about  the  same  period,  espec- 
ially such  an  unusual  one  as  California. 

As  for  the  ct\'mology  of  the  word  itself,  it  is  as 
yet  an  unsolved  problem.  The  suggestion  that 
it  is  compounded  of  the  Greek  root  A'a/z (beautiful), 
and  the  Latin  fornix  (vaulted  arch),  thus  making 
its  definition  "beautiful  sky,"  may  be  the  true 
explanation,  but  even  if  that  be  so,  Cortes  or  his 
followers  took  it  at  second  hand  from  Montaho 
and  were  not  its  original  inventors. 

Professor  (ieorge  Davidson,  in  a  mon()gra])h  on 
the  Origin  and  the  Meaning  of  the  Xame  California, 
states  that  incidental  mention  had  been  made  as 
early  as  184Q  of  the  name  as  occurring  in 
Montalvo's  noxcl  1)\  (ieorge  Ticknor,  in  his 
History  of  Spanish   Lilcraturt,   but    .Mr.   Ticknor 

17 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


refers  to  it  simply  as  literature,  without  any 
thought  of  connecting  it  with  the  name  of  the 
state.  This  connection  was  undoubtedly  first 
thought  of  by  Mr.  Hale  and  was  discussed  in  his 
paper  read  before  the  Historical  Society  of 
Massachusetts  in  1862;  therefore  the  honor  of  the 
discovery  of  the  origin  of  the  state's  name  must 
in  justice  be  awarded  to  him.  Professor  Davidson, 
in  an  elaborate  discussion  of  the  possible  etymology 
of  the  word,  expresses  the  opinion  that  it  may  be  a 
combination  of  two  Greek  words,  kallos  (beauty), 
and  ornis  (bird),  in  reference  to  the  following 
passage  in  the  book:  'Tn  this  island  are  many 
griffins,  which  can  be  found  in  no  other  part  of 
the  world."  Its  etymology,  however,  is  a  matter 
for  further  investigation.  The  one  fact  that  seems 
certain  is  its  origin  in  the  name  of  the  fabulous 
island  of  the  novel. 

It  may  well  suffice  for  the  fortunate  heritors  of 
the  splendid  principality  now  known  as  California 
that  this  charming  name  became  affixed  to  it 
permanently,  rather  than  the  less  "tuneful"  one 
of  New  Albion,  which  Sir  Francis  Drake  applied 
to  it,  and  under  which  cognomen  it  appears  on 
some  English  maps  of  the  date. 

18 


te'.%IN  AND  ABOUT  <^A 


'^--^ 


Ill 


IN  AND  ABOUT  SAN  DIEGO 


Like  many  other  places  in  California,  Sa>i 
Diego  (St.  James),  has  had  more  than  one 
christening.  The  first  was  at  the  hands  of 
Juan  Rodriguez  Cabrillo,  who  discovered  the 
harbor  in  1542,  and  named  it  San  Miguel  (St. 
Michael).  Cabrillo  was  a  Portuguese  in  the 
Spanish  service,  who  was  sent  to  explore  the 
coast  in  1542  by  Viceroy  Mendoza.  "He  sailed 
from  Natividad  with  two  vessels,  made  a  careful 
survey,  a])i)lied  names  that  for  the  most  part 
have  not  been  retained,  and  described  the  coast 
somewhat  accurately  as  far  as  Monterey.  He 
discovered  'a  land-locked  and  very  good  harbor,' 
probably  San  Diego,  which  he  named  San 
Miguel.  'The  next  day  he  sent  a  boat  farther 
into  the  port,  which  was  large.  A  \\i\  great 
gale  blew  from  the  west-southwest,  and  south- 
southwest,  but  the  ])()rt  being  good,  llu\-  felt 
nothing.'     On    the    return    from    the    north     the 


21 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


party  stopped  at  La  Posesion,  where  Cabrillo 
died  on  January  third,  from  the  effects  of  a  fall 
and  exposure.  No  traces  of  his  last  resting-place, 
almost  certainly  on  San  Miguel  near  Cuyler's 
harbor,  have  been  found;  and  the  drifting  sands 
have  perhaps  made  such  a  discovery  doubtful. 
To  this  bold  mariner,  the  first  to  discover  her 
coasts,  if  to  any  one,  California  may  with  pro- 
priety erect  a  monument." — (Bancroft's  History 
of  California.) 

Then,  in  1602,  came  Sebastian  Vizcaino,  who 
changed  the  name  from  San  Miguel  to  San  Diego. 
He  was  "sent  to  make  the  discovery  and  demar- 
cation of  the  ports  and  bays  of  the  Southern  Sea 
(Pacific  Ocean),"  and  to  occupy  for  Spain  the 
California  isles,  as  they  were  then  thought  to  be. 
From  the  diary  of  Vizcaino's  voyage  we  get  the 
following  account  of  his  arrival  at  San  Diego: 
"The  next  day,  Sunday,  the  tenth  of  the  said 
month  (November),  we  arrived  at  a  port,  the  best 
that  there  can  be  in  all  the  Southern  Sea,  for, 
besides  being  guarded  from  all  winds,  and  having 
a  good  bottom,  it  is  in  latitude  2>2>y2-  It  has  very 
good  water  and  wood,  many  fish  of  all  sorts,  of 
which  we  caught  a  great  many  with  the  net  and 


22 


THEIR      MEANING     AN  1)      R  U  M  A  N  C  E 


hooks.  There  is  good  hunting  of  rabbits,  hares, 
deer,  and  many  large  quail,  ducks  and  other 
birds.  On  the  twelfth  of  the  said  month,  which 
was  the  day  of  the  glorious  San  Diego,  the  admiral, 
the  priests,  the  officers,  and  almost  all  the  people, 
went  on  shore.  A  hut  was  built,  thus  enabling 
the  feast  of  the  Senor  San  Diego  to  be  celebrated." 
A  party  sent  out  to  get  wood  "saw  upon  a  hill 
a  band  of  loo  Indians,  with  bows  and  arrows, 
and  many  feathers  upon  their  heads,  and  .vith  a 
great  shouting  they  called  out  to  us."  By  a 
bestowal  of  presents,  friendly  relations  were 
established.  The  account  continues:  "They  had 
pots  in  which  they  cooked  their  food,  and  the 
Indian  women  were  dressed  in  the  skins  of  animals. 
The  name  of  San  Diego  was  given  to  this  i)ort." 
Thus,  it  was  the  bay  that  first  received  the  name, 
years  afterwards  given  to  the  mission,  then  to  the 
town.  During  the  stay  of  Vizcaino's  party  the 
Indians  came  often  to  their  camp  with  marten 
skins  and  other  articles.  On  November  20, 
having  taken  on  food  and  water,  the  ])arty  set 
sail,  the  Indians  shouting  a  vociferous  farewell 
from  the  beach  [qucdaban  vii  la  playa,  dando 
boces.) 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


A  long  period  of  neglect  of  more  than  i6o  years 
then  ensued.  The  Indians  continued  to  carry 
on  their  wretched  hand-to-mouth  existence,  trap- 
ping wild  beasts  for  their  food  and  scanty  cloth- 
ing, fishing  in  the  teeming  streams,  and  keeping 
up  their  constant  inter-tribal  quarrels  unmolested 
by  the  white  man.  Several  generations  grew  up 
and  passed  away  without  a  reminder  of  the  strange 
people  who  had  once  been  seen  upon  their  shores, 
except  perhaps  an  occasional  white  sail  of  some 
Philippine  galleon  seen  flitting  like  a  ghost  on  its 
southward  trip  along  the  coast. 

Then  the  Spaniards,  alarmed  by  reports  of  the 
encroachments  of  the  Russians  on  the  north, 
waked  up  from  their  long  sleep,  and  determined 
to  establish  a  chain  of  missions  along  the  Cali- 
fornia coast.  Father  Junipero  Serra  was 
appointed  president  of  these  missions,  and  the 
first  one  of  the  chain  was  founded  by  him  at  San 
Diego  in  1769.  The  name  was  originally  applied 
to  the  "Old  Town,"  some  distance  from  the 
present  city.  The  founding  party  encountered 
great  difficulties,  partly  through  their  fearful 
sufferings  from  scurvy,  and  partly  from  the  tur- 
bulent and  thievish  nature  of  the  Indians  in  that 

26 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


vicinity,  with  whom  they  had  several  hvely  fights, 
and  who  stole  everything  they  could  lay  their 
hands  on,  even  to  the  sheets  from  the  beds  of  the 
sick.  During  one  of  these  attacks,  the  mission 
buildings  were  burned  and  one  of  the  i)adres, 
Fray  Luis  Jaime,  suffered  a  cruel  death,  but  all 
difficulties  were  fmally  overcome  by  the  strong 
hand  of  Father  Serra,  and  the  mission  was  placed 
on  a  firm  basis.  Its  partially  ruined  buildings 
still  remain  at  a  place  about  six  miles  from  the 
present  city. 

To  return  to  the  matter  of  the  name,  San  Diego 
is  doubly  rich  in  possessing  two  titular  saints, 
the  bay  having  been  undoubtedly  named  by 
Viscaino  in  honor  of  St.  James,  the  patron  saint 
of  Spain,  whereas  the  town  takes  its  name  from 
the  mission,  which  ]K'ri:)etuates  the  memory  of  a 
canonized  Spanish  monk,  San  Diego  de  Alcala. 
The  story  of  St.  James,  the  patron  of  S})ain,  runs 
as  follows:  "As  one  of  Christ's  disciples,  a  noble- 
man's son  who  chose  to  abandon  his  weakh  and 
follow  Jesus,  he  was  persecuted  1)\'  the  Jews,  and 
finally  beheaded.  When  dragged  htforc  Ilcnxl 
Agri])])a,  his  gentleness  touched  ihe  soul  ol  one 
of  his  tornuiUors,  who  begged  lo  tlie  with  him. 

27 


PLACE     NAMES      OF     CALIFORNIA 


James  gave  him  a  kiss,  saying  ^Pax  Vobiscum' 
(peace  be  with  you) ,  and  from  this  arose  the  kiss 
of  peace  which  has  been  used  in  the  church  since 
that  time.  The  legend  has  it  that  his  body  was 
conducted  by  angels  to  Spain,  where  a  magnificent 
church  was  built  for  its  reception,  and  that  his 
spirit  returned  to  earth  and  took  an  active  part 
in  the  military  affairs  of  the  country.  He  was  said 
to  have  appeared  at  the  head  of  the  Spanish  armies 
on  thirty-eight  difTerent  occasions,  most  notably 
in  939,  when  King  Ramirez  determined  not  to 
submit  longer  to  the  tribute  of  one  hundred  virgins 
annually  paid  to  the  Moors,  and  defied  them  to 
a  battle.  After  the  Spaniards  had  suffered  one 
repulse,  the  spirit  of  St.  James  appeared  at  their 
head  on  a  milk-white  charger,  and  led  them  to  a 
victory  in  which  sixty  thousand  Moors  were  left 
dead  on  the  field.  From  that  day  'Santiago!'  has 
been  the  Spanish  war-cry." — (From  Clara  Erskine 
Clement's  Stories  of  the  Saints.) 

It  happens,  rather  curiously,  that  in  the  Spanish 
language  St.  James  appears  under  several  different 
forms,  Santiago,  San  Diego  and  San  Tiago.  The 
immediate  patron  of  our  southernmost  city, 
San  Diego  de  Alcald,   was   a  humble   Capuchin 

28 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


brother  in  a  monastery  of  Alcala.  It  is  said  that 
the  infante  Don  Carlos  was  healed  of  a  se\'ere 
wound  through  the  intercession  of  this  saint,  and 
that  on  this  account  Philip  II  promoted  his 
canonization. 

May  the  spirit  of  the  "glorious  San  Diego" 
shed  some  of  his  tender  humanity  u])()n  the  city 
of  which  he  is  the  protector! 


CORONADO  BP:ACH 

Coronado  Beach,  the  long  spit  of  land  forming 
the  outer  shore  of  the  harbor  of  San  Diego, 
"derived  its  name  from  the  Coronado  Islands 
near  it.  These  islands  were  original!)'  named  by 
the  Spaniards  in  honor  of  Coronado.  When  the 
improvement  of  the  sand  spit  opposite  San  Diego 
City  and  facing  the  Coronado  Islands  was  made 
in  1885,  the  name  of  Coronado  Beach  was  be- 
stowed upon  it."  (Charles  B.  Turrill,  San  I'raii- 
cisco.) 

In  all  till'  histor>-  of  Spain  in  western  America 
there  is  nothing  more  romantic  than  the  storx-  ol 
the  famous  explorer,  Francisco  Vascjuez  de  Coro- 

29 


PLACE     NAMES     OF      CALIFORNIA 


nado,  who,  with  the  dehghtful  childhke  faith  of 
his  race,  marched  through  Texas  and  Kansas  in 
search  of  the  fabulous  city  of  Gran  Quivira, 
''where  every  one  had  his  dishes  made  of  wrought 
plate,  and  the  jugs  and  bowls  were  of  gold,"  and 
then  marched  back  again!  Imagine  our  hard- 
headed  Puritan  ancestors  setting  forth  on  such  a 
quest ! 

SAN  LUIS  REY 

San  Luis  Rey  dc  Francia  (St.  Louis  King  of 
France),  is  the  name  of  the  mission  situated  in  a 
charming  little  valley  about  forty  miles  north  of 
San  Diego  and  three  miles  from  the  sea.  It  was 
founded  June  13,  1798,  by  Padres  Lasuen,  San- 
tiago and  Peyri,  and  its  ruins  may  still  be  seen 
upon  the  spot.  A  partial  restoration  has  been 
made  of  these  buildings  and  they  are  now  used  by 
the  Franciscans.  The  exact  circumstances  of  its 
naming  have  not  come  to  light,  but  we  know  of 
its  patron  saint  that  his  holiness  was  such  that 
even  Voltaire  said  of  him:  "It  is  scarcely  given 
to  man  to  push  virtue  further."  Born  at  Poissy 
in  1215,  the  son  of  Louis  VIII  and  Blanche  of 

30 


'<     ^. 


o 

3       > 


EL    X 


X 


n 

3      " 


i   > 

c    '-: 


y; 


0^ 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     R  O  .M  A  N  C  E 


Castile,  he  became  noted  for  his  saintliness,  and 
twice  led  an  army  of  Crusaders  in  the  "holy  war." 


PALA 

Pala,  often  misspelled  pah,  through  an  acci- 
dental resemblance  to  the  Spanish  word  pah 
(stick  or  tree),  is  situated  some  fifteen  miles  or 
more  to  the  northeast  of  San  Luis  Rey,  and  is 
the  site  of  the  sub-mission  of  San  Antonio  de  Pala, 
founded  in  1816  b}-  Padre  Peyri  as  a  branch  of 
San  Luis  Rey.  This  mission  was  unique  in  having 
a  bell-tower  built  apart  from  the  church,  and 
many  romantic  stories  have  been  told  about  the 
"bells  of  Pala."  It  was  located  in  the  center  of  a 
poi)ulous  Indian  community,  and  it  haj^pens, 
rather  curious!)-,  that  the  word  itself  has  a  sig- 
nificance both  in  S])anish  and  Indian,  meaning 
in  Spanish  "spade"  and  in  Indian  "water."  The 
Reverend  Cieorge  Doyle,  i)ast()r  at  the  mission 
of  San  Antonio  dc  Pala,  writes  the  following  in 
regard  to  this  name:  "The  word  T'ala'  is  an 
Indian  word,  meaning,  in  tlu'  Cupaniaii  Mission 
Indian    language,    'water,'    prol)al)l\    dui'    to    the 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


fact  that  the  San  Luis  Rey  River  passes  through 
it.  The  proper  title  of  the  mission  chapel  here  is 
San  Antonio  de  Padua,  but  as  there  is  another 
San  Antonio  de  Padua  mission  chapel  in  the 
north,  to  distinguish  between  the  two  some  one 
in  the  misty  past  changed  the  proper  title  of  the 
Saint,  and  so  we  have  'de  Pala'  instead  of  'de 
Padua.'  Some  writers  say  Pala  is  Spanish,  but 
this  is  not  true,  for  the  little  valley  in  no  way 
resembles  a  spade,  and  the  Palanian  Indians  were 
here  long  before  the  Franciscan  padres  brought 
civilization,  Christianity  and  the  Spanish 
language." 

Pala,  in  this  case,  is  almost  certainly  Indian, 
and  originates  in  a  legend  of  the  Luisenos.  Accord- 
ing to  this  legend,  one  of  the  natives  of  the  Teme- 
cula  tribe  went  forth  on  his  travels,  stopping  at 
many  places  and  giving  names  to  them.  One  of 
these  places  was  a  canyon,  "where  he  drank  water 
and  called  it  pala,  water." — {The  Religion  of  the 
Luiseno  Indians,  by  Constance  Goddard  Dubois, 
in  the  Univ.  of  Cal.  Publ.  of  Arch,  and  Tech.) 


34 


THEIR     MEANING      AND      ROMANCE 


SAN  JUAN  CAPISTRANO 

San  Juan  Capistrano  (St.  John  Capistrano), 
was  at  one  time  sadly  mutilated  by  having  its 
first  part  clipped  off,  appearing  on  the  ma])  as 
Capistrano,  but  upon  representations  made  by 
Zoeth  S.  Eldredge  it  was  restored  to  its  full  form 
by  the  Post  Office  Department.  A  mission  was 
founded  at  this  place,  which  is  near  the  coast  about 
halfway  between  San  Diego  and  Los  Angeles,  by 
Padres  Serra  and  Amurrio,  November  i,  1776, 
the  year  of  our  own  glorious  memory.  While  on 
the  other  side  of  the  continent  bloody  war  raged, 
under  the  sunny  .skies  of  California  the  gentle 
]iadres  were  raising  altars  to  the  "Man  of  Peace." 

The  buildings  at  this  place  were  badl\'  wrecked 
by  an  earthcjuake  on  December  <S,  1S12,  \et  the 
ruins  still  remain  to  attest  lo  the  fact  that  this 
was  at  one  time  regarded  as  the  finest  ot  all  the 
mission   structures. 

Its  patron  saint.  St.  John  ( ■a])ist raiio.  was  a 
Franciscan  friar  who  lived  at  the  time  ol  the  t  ru- 
sades,  and  took  jiart  in  them.  A  colossal  statue 
of   him   adorns   the  exterior  of   the   Cathedral   at 


35 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


Vienna.  It  represents  him  as  having  a  Turk  under 
his  feet,  a  standard  in  one  hand,  and  a  cross  in 
the  other. 


SUPPLEMENTARY  LIST 

There  remain  some  names  in  the  San  Diego 
group  of  less  importance,  yet  possessing  many 
points  of  interest,  which  will  be  included  in  the 
following  list,  with  an  explanation  of  their  mean- 
ings, and  their  history  wherever  it  has  been  possible 
to  ascertain  it. 

Agua  Tibia  (warm  water,  warm  springs),  is  in 
San  Diego  County.  For  some  reason  difficult 
to  divine,  this  perfectly  simple  name  has  been  the 
cause  of  great  confusion  in  the  minds  of  a  number 
of  writers.  In  one  case  the  almost  incredibly 
absurd  translation  "shinbone  water"  has  been 
given.  It  may  be  thought  that  this  was  intended 
as  a  bit  of  humor,  but  it  is  greatly  to  be  feared 
that  the  writer  mixed  up  the  Spanish  word  tibia, 
which  simply  means  "tepid,  warm,"  with  the 
Latin  name  of  one  of  the  bones  of  the  lower  leg, 
the   tibia.     In   another   case   the   equally  absurd 

36 


AKCIIW  \^    .\r  CAIMS'IK.W'O. 
"Al  line  time  riKanlid  a>  ihc  Imot  ai  :\\\  lln'  mission  strinliirt's. 


T  HEIR      M  E  A  N  I  N  G      A  N  I)     R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


translation  "llute  water"  has  been  given.  Where 
such  a  meaning  could  ha\e  been  obtained  is  be- 
yond comprehension  to  any  person  possessing 
even  a  slight  knowledge  of  the  Spanish  language. 
Agua  Tibia  is  no  more  nor  less  than  "warm 
water,"  applied  in  this  case  to  warm  springs 
existing  at  that  place.  This  extreme  case  is  en- 
larged upon  here  as  an  examjile  of  the  gross 
errors  that  ha\-e  been  freely  handed  out  to  an 
unsuspecting  ])ublic  in  the  matter  of  our  jjlace 
names.  There  are  man\-  more  of  the  same  sort, 
and  the  authors  of  this  inexcusable  stuff  have 
been  accei)ted  and  even  quoted  as  authorities 
n  the  subject.  Those  of  us  wlio  loxe  our  ("ali- 
fornia,  in  other  words  all  of  us,  can  not  tail  to  be 
pained  by  such  a  degradation  of  lur  romantic 
history. 

Ballcna  (whale),  is  in  San  Diego  Count\'  at  the 
west  end  of  Ballena  Valle}-,  and  as  it  is  a  good 
man>'  miles  inland  its  name  seems  iiuongruous, 
until  we  learn  from  oiu'  of  its  rcsi(lcnt>  that  it 
was  so-called  in  rcfcTciu  c  to  a  mountain  in  llie 
valley  whose  outline  along  the  l<»p  is  exact !>■ 
the  shape  of  a  humpbacked  whale. 

"This  place  lias  prot)ably   no  (omiettion   with 

39 


o 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Ballenas,  a  name  applied  to  a  bay  in  Lower  Cali- 
fornia on  account  of  its  being  a  favorite  resort  of 
the  Humpback  whale." — (Mr.  Charles  B.  Turrill.) 

Berenda,  in  Merced  County,  is  a  misspelling  of 
Berrendo  or  Berrenda. 

Berrendo  (antelope).  A  writer  whose  knowledge 
of  Spanish  seems  to  be  wholly  a  matter  of  the 
dictionary,  confused  by  the  fact  that  the  defini- 
tion given  for  berrendo  is  "having  two  colors," 
has  offered  the  fantastic  translation  of  El  Rio  de 
los  Berrendos  as  "The  River  of  two  Colors." 
Although  the  idea  of  such  a  river,  like  a  piece  of 
changeable  silk,  may  be  picturesque,  the  simple 
truth  is  that  the  word  berrendo,  although  not 
so-defined  in  the  dictionaries,  is  used  in  Spanish 
America  to  signify  a  deer  of  the  antelope  variety 
and  frequently  occurs  in  that  sense  in  the  diaries. 
Miguel  Costanso,  an  engineer  accompanying  the 
Portola  expedition  of  1769,  says:  ''Hay  en  la 
tierra  venados,  verrendos  (also  spelled  berrendos), 
muchos  liebres,  conejos,  gatos  monteses  y  ratas 
(there  are  in  the  land  deer,  antelope,  many  hares, 
rabbits,  wild-cats  and  rats)."  On  iVugust  4  this 
party  reached  a  place  forty  leagues  from  San  Diego 
which  they  called  Berrendo  because  they  caught 

40 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


alive  a  deer  which  had  been  shot  ihc  day  before 
by  the  soldiers  and  had  a  broken  leg.  Antelope 
Creek,  in  Tehama  County,  was  original!}'  named 
El  Rio  de  los  Bcrrendos  (The  River  of  the  Ante- 
lopes), undoubtedly  because  it  was  a  drinking 
place  frequented  by  those  graceful  creatures, 
and  Antelope  Valley,  in  the  central  part  of  the 
state,  must  have  received  its  name  in  the  same 
way. 

El  Cajon  (the  box),  about  twelve  miles  north- 
east of  San  Diego,  perhaps  received  its  name  from 
a  custom  the  Spaniards  had  of  calling  a  dcej)  can- 
yon with  high,  box-like  walls,  iin  cajon  (a  box). 

Caliente  Creek  (hot  creek),  is  in  the  northern 
part  of  San  Diego  County. 

Campo  (a  level  field),  also  sometimes  used  in 
the  sense  of  a  camj),  is  the  name  of  a  i)lacc  about 
forty  miles  east-southeast  of  San  Diego,  just 
above  the  Mexican  border.  Campo  was  an  Indian 
settlement,  and  may  have  been  so-called  b\-  the 
Spaniards  siinpl>-  in  reference  lo  the  cimp  nl 
Indians. 

Canada  del  Haul  is  mo  (glen  of  the  bai)tism), 
so-called  from  the  (  ireumstam  e  that  two  dying 
native  children  were  there  hai)tize(l  1)\   the  ])a(h-i-s, 

41 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


as  told  in  the  diary  of  Miguel  Costanso,  of  the 
Portola  expedition  of  1769.  Death,  when  it 
came  to  the  children  of  the  natives,  was  often 
regarded  as  cause  for  rejoicing  by  the  mission- 
aries, not,  of  course,  through  any  lack  of  humanity 
on  their  part,  but  because  the  Indian  parents 
more  readily  consented  to  baptism  at  such  a 
time,  and  the  padres  regarded  these  as  so  many 
souls   "snatched   from   the   burning." 

Carriso  (reed  grass),  is  the  name  of  a  village 
and  creek  in  San  Diego  County. 

Chula  Vista  (pretty  view),  is  the  name  of  a 
town  near  the  coast,  a  few  miles  southeast  of  San 
Diego.  Chula  is  a  word  of  Mexican  origin,  mean- 
ing pretty,  graceful,  attractive.  "This  name  was 
probably  first  used  by  the  promoters  during  the 
boom  of  1887."— (Mr.  Charles  B.  Turrill.) 

La  Costa  (the  coast),  a  place  on  the  shore  north 
of  San  Diego. 

Coyote  Valley,  situated  just  below  the  southern 
border  of  the  San  Jacinto  Forest  Reservation. 
Coyote,  the  name  of  the  wolf  of  Western  America, 
is  an  Aztec  word,  originally  coyotl. 

Cuyamaca  is  probably  derived  from  the  land 
grant  of  that  name,  which  in  turn  took  its  name 

42 


T  H  E  1  R      M  E  A  N  I  N  G      A  N  I)      R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


from  the  Cuyamaca  Mountain,  which,  according 
to  the  scientists,  was  so-called  in  reference  to  the 
clouds  and  rain  gathering  around  its  summit. 
Mr.  T.  T.  Waterman,  instructor  in  Anthropology 
at  the  University  of  California,  says  the  word  is 
derived  from  two  Indian  words,  kwe  (rain),  and 
afnak  (yonder),  and  consequently  means  "rain 
yonder."  The  popular  translation  of  it  as 
"woman's  breast"  is  probably  not  based  on  fact. 
There  was  an  Indian  \illage  of  that  name  some 
miles    northwest    of    San     Diego. 

Descanso  (rest),  is  the  name  of  a  ])lace  north- 
east of  San  Diego,  so-called  l3\-  a  government 
surveying  ])arty  for  the  reason  that  they  sto])])ed 
here   each   day   for   rest. 

Duhiira  (sweetness),  is  the  name  of  a  place  but 
a  few  miles  north  of  the  Mexican  border  line. 
What  there  was  of  "sweetness"  in  the  histor\-  of 
this  desolate  mining  camp  can  not  be  discovered. 

Kncinitas  (little  oaks),  is  a  ])lace  on  the  coast 
about  twenty  miles  northwest  of  San   Diego. 

Kscondido  (hidden),  a  place  lying  about  tittctii 
miles  from  the  coast,  to  the  northeast  •)!  Snn 
Diego.  it  is  said  to  ha\e  \k\-\\  ^o-iiained  on 
account  of  its  location  in  the  valle}  .     A  i)lace  at 

43 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIF^ORNIA 


another  point  was  called  Escondido  by  the  Span- 
iards because  of  the  difficulty  they  experienced 
in  finding  the  water  for  which  they  were  anxiously 
searching,  and  it  may  be  that  in  this  case  the 
origin  of  the  name  was  the  same. 

LaJolla,Si  word  of  doubtful  origin,  said  by  some 
persons  to  mean  a  "pool,"  by  others  to  be  from 
hoy  a,  a  hollow  surrounded  by  hills,  and  by 
still  others  to  be  a  possible  corruption  of  joy  a,  a 
"jewel."  The  suggestion  has  been  made  that  La 
Jolla  was  named  from  caves  situated  there  which 
contain  pools,  but  until  some  further  information 
turns  up  this  name  must  remain  among  the  un- 
solved problems.  There  is  always  the  possibility 
also  that  La  Jolla  means  none  of  these  things  but 
is  a  corruption  of  some  Indian  word  with  a  totally 
different  meaning.  More  than  one  place  in  the 
state  masquerades  under  an  apparently  Spanish 
name  which  is  in  reality  an  Indian  word  cor- 
rupted into  some  Spanish  word  to  which  it  bore 
an  accidental  resemblance  in  sound.  Cortina 
(curtain)  is  an  example  of  this  sort  of  corruption, 
it  being  derived  from  the  Indian  Ko-tina. 

Laguna  del  Corral  (lagoon  of  the  yard).  Corral 
is  a  word  much  in  use  to  signify  a  space  of  ground 

44 


THEIR      MEANING     AN  D      R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


enclosed  by  a  fence,  often  for  the  detention  of 
animals.  In  one  of  the  diaries  an  Indian  corral 
is  thus  spoken  of:  "Near  the  place  in  which  we 
camped  there  was  a  populous  Indian  village;  the 
inhabitants  lived  without  other  protection  than 
a  light  shelter  of  branches  in  the  form  of  an  en- 
closure; for  this  reason  the  soldiers  gave  to  the 
whole  place  the  name  of  the  Rancheria  del  Corral 
(the  village  of  the  yard)."  There  are  other  corrals 
and  corralitos  (little  yards)  in  the  state. 

Linda  Vista  (charming  or  pretty  view),  is  the 
name  of  a  place  ten  or  twelve  miles  due  north  of 
San  Diego. 

Point  Loma  (hill  ])()int).  Loma  means  "hill," 
hence  Point  Eoma,  the  very  end  of  the  little 
peninsula  enclosing  San  Diego  bay,  is  a  high 
promontory. 

I)c  Liiz  (a  surname),  that  of  a  ])i()neer  family. 
The  literal  meaning  of  the  word  ///;  is  "light." 

Del  Mar  (of  or  on  the  sea),  the  name  of  a  ])lace 
on  the  shore  about  eighti'Lii  niiks  iioilli  of  Sail 
Diego. 

La  Mesa  (literail>'  "the  table"),  used  \vv\  coni- 
monK'  to  mean  "a  high,  llat  tableland.  "  /.(/ 
il/f'jc/,  iiuorrcc  tl\  j)rinted  on  some  ol  the  maps  as 

45 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


one  word,  Lamesa,  lies  a  few  miles  to  the  north- 
east of  San  Diego. 

Mesa  Grande  (literally  "big  table"),  big  table- 
land, is  some  distance  to  the  northeast  of  San 
Diego. 

El  Nido  (the  nest),  is  southeast  of  San  Diego, 
near  the  border. 

Potrero  (pasture  ground),  is  just  above  the  bor- 
der line.  There  are  many  Potreros  scattered  over 
the  state. 

La  Presa  (the  dam  or  dike).  La  Presa  is  a  few 
miles  east  of  San  Diego,  on  the  Sweetwater  River, 
no  doubt  called  Agua  Duke  by  the  Spaniards. 

Los  Rosales  (the  rose-bushes),  a  spot  located  in 
the  narratives  of  the  Spaniards  at  about  seventeen 
leagues  from  San  Diego,  and  two  leagues  from 
Santa  Margarita.  Nothing  in  the  new  land 
brought  to  the  explorers  sweeter  memories  of 
their  distant  home  than  "the  roses  of  Castile" 
which  grew  so  luxuriantly  along  their  pathway 
as  to  bring  forth  frequent  expressions  of  delight 
from  the  padres.  This  particular  place  we  find 
mentioned  in  the  diary  of  Miguel  Costanso,  as 
follows:  "We  gave  it  the  name  of  Canada  de  los 
Rosales  (glen  of  the  rose-bushes),  on  account  of 

4O 


THEIR      MEANING      AND     R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


the  great  number  of  rose-bushes  we  saw." — 
(Translation  edited  by  Frederick  J.  Teggart, 
Curator  of  the  Academy  of  Pacific  Coast  History.) 

Temecida,  the  name  of  a  once  important  Indian 
\'illage  in  the  Temecula  Valley,  about  thirty-five 
miles  south  of  Riverside.  Its  inhabitants  suffered 
the  usual  fate  of  the  native  when  the  white  man 
discovers  the  value  of  the  land,  and  were  com- 
pelled to  leave  their  valley  in  1875,  and  remove  to 
Pichanga  Canyon,  in  a  desert  region. 

7ia  J  nana  (literally  Aunt  Jane).  Travelers  on 
the  way  to  Mexico  who  stop  for  customs  examin- 
ation at  this  border  town  are  no  doubt  surprised 
by  its  peculiar  name.  This  is  an  cxam])le  of  llic 
corruption,  through  its  resemblance  in  sound,  of 
an  Indian  word,  Tiwana,  into  lia  Jiiana,  Spanish 
for  "Aunt  jane."  Tiwana  is  said  to  mean  "b\ 
the  sea,"  which  may  or  may  not  be  the  correct 
translation. 


47 


LOS  ANGELES  AND 


HER  NEIGHBORS 


IV 


LOS  Angeles  and  her  neighbors 


Los  Angeles  (the  angels).  In  the  diary  of 
]\riguel  Costanso,  date  of  August  2,  1769,  we 
read:  "To  the  north-northeast  onecould  see  an- 
other water-course  or  river  bed,  which  formed 
a  wide  ravine,  but  it  was  dry.  This  water-course 
joined  that  of  the  river,  and  gave  clear  indica- 
tions of  heavy  floods  during  the  rainy  season,  as 
it  had  many  branches  of  trees  and  debris  on  its 
sides.  We  halted  at  this  place,  which  was  named 
La  Porciunctda.  Here  wc  felt  three  successive 
earthquakes  during  the  afternoon  and  night." — 
(Translation   edited  by  Frederick  J.  'iVggart.) 

This  was  the  stream  u])on  which  the  cit\'  ol 
Los  Angeles  was  subsc(|iunll\-  bnilt  and  whose 
name  became  a  pail  ol"  lur  title.  Pore  iiim  ula  wa.s 
the  name  of  a  town  and  parish  near  .\ssisi  which 
became  the  abode  of  St.  P'rancis  (K'  .\ssisi  alter 
the  Bene(h"(tine  monks  had  i)resi'nte(l  him.  about 
1211,  witii  the  iiUle  eliai)el  whieli  he  udled,  in  a 

51 


PLACE     NAMES     OF      CALIFORNIA 


jocular  way,  La  Porciuncula  (the  small  portion). 
By  order  of  Pius  V,  in  1556  the  erection  of  a  new 
edifice  over  the  Porciuncula  chapel  was  begun. 
Under  the  bay  of  the  choir  is  still  preserved  the 
cell  in  which  St.  Francis  died,  while  a  little  behind 
the  sacristy  is  the  spot  where  the  saint,  during  a 
temptation,  is  said  to  have  rolled  in  a  brier-bush, 
which  was  then  changed  into  thornless  roses. — 
(Cathohc  Encyclopedia.)  In  this  story  there  is 
a  curious  interweaving  of  the  history  of  the  names 
of  our  two  rival  cities,  St.  Francis  in  the  north 
and  Los  Angeles  de  Porciuncula  in  the  south. 

Continuing  their  journey  on  the  following  day, 
the  Portola  party  reached  the  Indian  rancheria 
(village)  of  Yangna,  the  site  chosen  for  the  pueblo 
established  at  a  later  date.  Father  Crespi  writes 
of  it  thus:  "We  followed  the  road  to  the  west, 
and  the  good  pasture  land  followed  us;  at  about 
half  a  league  of  travel  we  encountered  the  village 
of  this  part;  on  seeing  us  they  came  out  on  the 
road,  and  when  we  drew  near  they  began  to  howl, 
as  though  they  were  wolves;  we  saluted  them, 
they  wished  to  give  us  some  seeds,  and  as  we  had 
nothing  at  hand  in  which  to  carry  them,  we  did 
not  accept  them;  seeing  this,   they  threw  some 

52 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


handfuls    on    the    ground    and    the    rest    in    the 


air. 


August  2  being  the  feast  day  of  Xuestra  Scfiora 
de  los  Angeles,  as  the  Virgin  Mary  is  often  called 
by  the  Spaniards,  this  name  was  given  to  the 
place. 

The  actual  founding  of  the  pueblo  did  not  occur 
until  September  4,  lycSi,  when  Governor  Neve 
issued  the  order  for  its  establishment  upon  the 
site  of  the  Indian  village  Yangna.  It  is  said  that 
the  Porciuncula  River,  henceforth  to  be  known  as 
the  Los  Angeles,  at  that  time  ran  to  the  east  of 
its  present  course.  The  name  of  the  little  stream 
was  added  to  that  of  the  pueblo,  so  thai  the  true, 
complete  title  of  the  s])lendid  city  which  has  grown 
up  on  the  spot  where  the  Indian  once  raised  his 
wolf-like  howl  is  Xuestra  Senora  la  Rt'nia  dr  los 
Angeles  de  J^orciihicida  (Our  Lad)-  the  (juccn 
of  the   Angels  of  Porciuncula). 

The  social  beginnings  of  Los  Angeles  were 
humble  indeed,  the  first  st'ltkTS  l)eiiig  persons  of 
mixed  race,  and  the  lirst  housi's  mere  howls, 
made  of  adobe,  with  tlat  root's  coNered  with  a^l)halL 
from  the  springs  west  ot   llu'  town. 


5.3 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


EL  RANCHO  LA  BREA 

La  Brea  (the  asphalt),  has  been  retained  as  the 
appropriate  designation  of  the  ranch  containing 
the  famous  asphaltum  beds  near  Los  Angeles. 
Ever  since  the  days  of  the  Tertiary  Age,  the  quak- 
ing, sticky  surface  of  these  beds  has  acted  as  a 
"death  trap"  for  unwary  animals,  and  the  remains 
of  the  unfortunate  creatures  have  been  securely 
preserved  down  to  our  times,  furnishing  indis- 
putable evidence  of  the  strange  life  that  once 
existed  on  our  shores.  Fossils  of  a  large  number 
of  pre-historic  and  later  animals  have  been  taken 
out,  aggregating  nearly  a  million  specimens  of 
bird  and  animal  life,  many  of  them  hitherto 
unknown  to  science.  Among  them  are  the  saber- 
tooth  tiger,  gigantic  wolves,  bears,  horses,  bison, 
deer,  an  extinct  species  of  coyote,  camels,  ele- 
phants, and  giant  sloths.  Remains  are  also  found 
of  mice,  rabbits,  sc^uirrels,  several  species  of 
insects,  and  a  large  number  of  birds,  such  as 
ducks,  geese,  pelicans,  eagles  and  condors. 

Among  the  most  remarkable  of  these  fossils 
are    the   saber-tooth   tiger   and    the   great   wolf. 

54 


THEIR      MEANING      AND      ROMANCE 


Specimens  of  the  wolf  have  been  found  wliirh 
are  among  the  largest  known  in  either  li\ing  or 
extinct  species.  This  wolf  differs  from  existing 
species  in  having  a  larger  and  heavier  skull  and 
jaws,  and  in  its  massive  teeth,  a  conformation 
that  must  have  given  it  great  crushing  i)ower. 
The  structure  of  the  skeleton  shows  it  to  have 
been  probably  less  swift,  but  more  powerful  than 
the  modern  wolf,  and  the  great  number  of  bones 
found  indicate  that  it  was  exceedingly  common 
in  that  age.  One  bed  of  bones  was  uncovered  in 
which  the  number  of  saber-tooth  and  wolf  skulls 
together  averaged  twenty  i)er  cubic  yard.  Alto- 
gether, the  disai)pearance  of  these  great,  ferocious 
beasts  from  the  California  forests  need  cause  no 
keen  regret. 

Next  to  the  large  w^olf  thr  most  common  is  the 
saber-tooth  tiger,  of  which  one  comi)lete  skeleton 
and  a  large  number  of  bones  ha\e  been  lound. 
'I'he  skeleton  shows  the  animal  to  haw  been  ol 
about  the  size  of  a  large  Afrii  an  lion,  and  its  most 
remarkable  characteristic  was  the  extraordinary 
length  of  the  iipjjer  canine  teeth,  whieli  were  like 
long,  tiiin  sabers,  with  finel)-  serrated  edges. 
These  teeth  were  awkwardlx    placed  lor  ordinary 


3:) 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


use,  and  it  is  thought  by  scientists  that  they  were 
used  for  a  downward  stab  through  the  thick  necks 
of  bulky  creatures,  such  as  the  giant  sloth.  There 
is  also  an  unusual  development  of  the  claws, 
possibly  to  make  up  for  the  loss  of  grasping  power 
in  the  jaws,  resulting  from  the  interference  of  the 
long  saber  teeth.  It  appears  from  the  state  of 
many  of  the  fossils  that  these  teeth  were  peculiarly 
liable  to  fracture,  and  accidents  of  this  sort  may 
have  led  to  the  extinction  of  the  species,  the 
animal  thus  perishing  through  the  over-develop- 
ment of  one  of  its  characteristics. 

Fossils  of  the  extinct  horse  and  bison  are  com- 
mon, and  a  smaller  number  are  found  of  camels, 
deer,  goats,  and  the  mammoth.  The  bison  were 
heavy-horned  and  somewhat  larger  than  the 
existing  species  of  buffalo.  The  camel,  of  which 
an  almost  complete  specimen  has  very  recently 
been  taken  out  by  Professor  R.  C.  Stoner,  of  the 
University  of  California,  was  much  larger  than  the 
present  day  species.  Since  the  above  was  put  in 
type,  a  human  skeleton  has  been  taken  from  the 
vicinity  of  the  La  Brea  bed.  Whether  this  skele- 
ton belongs  with  the  La  Brea  deposits,  and  what 
its  comparative  age  in  relation  to  other  human 

S6 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


remains  may  be,  are  matters  now  being  investi- 
gated by  scientists. 

The  preponderance  of  meat-eating  animals  in 
the  La  Brea  beds  has  attracted  the  attention  of 
scientists,  who  believe  that  these  creatures  were 
lured  to  the  spot  in  large  numbers  b\'  the  struggles 
and  cries  of  their  unfortunate  prey  caught  in  the 
sticky  mass  of  the  tar.  In  this  way,  a  single  sloth, 
or  other  creature,  ma\'  have  been  the  means  of 
bringing  retribution  upon  a  whole  pack  of  wolves. — 
(Notes  taken  from  an  article  in  the  Sunset  Maga- 
zine of  October,  1908,  entitled  'llic  Death  Trap 
of  the  Ages^  b\'  John  C.  Merriam,  Professor  of 
Paleontology  in  the  University  of  California.) 

The  manner  in  which  this  great  aggregation  of 
animals  came  to  a  tragic  end  in  that  l()ng-])ast 
age  is  exemplified  in  the  way  that  birds  and  other 
small  animals  are  still  occasionally  caught  in  the 
treacherous  asi)halt  and  tlurc  ])crish  miserably, 
adding  their  bones  to  those  of  their  unhai)])y 
predecessors. 

The  La  Brea  beds  furnish  one  of  the  richest 
fields  tor  ])ale()ntological  research  lo  be  found 
anywhere  in  the  world;  and  it  may  be  said,  that 
with  her  great  Se(|uoias  in    the    north,  and   her 

57 


PLACE      NAMES       OF      CALIFORNIA 


reservoir  of  pre-historic  remains  in  the  south, 
Cahfornia  stands  as  a  link  between  a  past  age  and 
the  present. 

The  tarry  deposit  itself  has  its  own  place  in 
history,  for  it  appears  that  the  first  settlers  of 
Los  Angeles  were  alive  to  the  practical  value  of 
this  supply  of  asphaltum  lying  ready  to  their 
hands,  and  used  it  in  roofing  their  houses.  Even 
the  Indians,  little  as  is  the  credit  usually  given 
them  for  skill  in  the  arts  and  crafts,  recognized 
the  possibilities  of  this  peculiar  substance,  and 
used  it  in  calking  their  canoes. 


LOS  OJITOS 

The  story  of  Los  Ojitos  (literally  "little  eyes"), 
but  here  used  in  the  sense  of  "little  springs," 
situated  about  two  leagues  from  Santa  Ana, 
indicates  that  the  pleasures  of  social  intercourse 
were  not  altogether  lacking  among  the  California 
Indians.  In  the  diary  of  Miguel  Costanso,  of 
the  date  of  their  arrival  at  this  place,  he  writes: 
"We  found  no  water  for  the  animals,  but  there 
was  sufficient  for  the  people  in  some  little  springs'^ 

58 


THEIR      MEANING      AND      ROMANCE 


or  small  pools,  in  a  narrow  canyon  close  to 
a  native  village.  The  Indians  of  this  \illage 
were  holding  a  feast  and  dance,  to  which  they  had 
invited  their  relatives  of  the  Rio  dc  los  Tcmhiorcs 
(River  of  the  Earthquakes,  or  Santa  Ana)." — 
(Translation  edited  by  Frederick  J.  Teggart.) 
During  this  time  the  travelers  experienced  a 
series  of  earthcjuakes  lasting  several  da}'S. 

Ojo  de  agna  was  commonly  used  b\'  the  Span- 
iards to  mean  a  spring,  but  during  the  eighteenth 
century  it  was  frequently  used  in  America  in  the 
sense  of  a  small  stream  of  water  rather  than  a 
spring. 

SANTA  ANA 


On  the  day,  Friday,  July  28,  lybg,  of  the  arrival 
of  the  Portola  expedition  at  the  stream  now  called 
the  Scuihi  Aiiii,  which  takes  its  rise  in  the  San 
Bernardino  Mountains,  and  em])ties  into  the  ocean 
at  a  point  southeast  of  Los  Angeles,  four  scwre 
earthf|uakes  occurred.  SjK-aking  of  this  circum- 
stance in  his  (harx',  l'"alhcr  Crcspi  sa\"s:  "To  this 
si)ot  was  giwii  AV  Dulcc  XoiHhrc  dc  Jesus  dc  los 
'Tanblorcs    (The    Sweet    Name    of    Jesus    of    the 

59 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Earthquakes),  because  of  having  experienced 
here  a  frightful  earthquake,  which  was  repeated 
four  times  during  the  day.  The  first,  which  was 
the  most  violent,  happened  at  one  o'clock  of  the 
afternoon,  and  the  last  about  four  o'clock.  One 
of  the  gentiles  (unbaptized  Indians),  who  hap- 
pened to  be  in  the  camp,  and  who,  without  doubt, 
exercised  among  them  the  ofhce  of  priest,  no  less 
terrified  at  the  event  than  we,  began,  with  horrible 
cries  and  great  demonstrations,  to  entreat  Heaven, 
turning  to  all  points  of  the  compass.  This  river 
is  known  to  the  soldiers  as  the  San  fa  Ana.''  This 
was  one  of  the  rare  cases  where  the  usual  method 
of  naming  was  reversed,  and  the  soldiers  chose 
the  name  of  the  saint.  St.  Anna  was  the  mother 
of  the  Virgin  and  her  name  signifies  "gracious." 
In  the  account  of  Captain  Pedro  Fages,  of  the 
same  expedition,  the  natives  on  this  stream  are 
described  as  having  light  complexions  and  hair, 
and  a  good  appearance,  differing  in  these  par- 
ticulars from  the  other  inhabitants  of  that  region, 
who  were  said  to  be  dark,  dirty,  under-sized  and 
slovenly.  This  is  not  the  only  occasion  when  the 
Spaniards  reported  finding  Indians  of  light  com- 
plexions  and   hair   in   California.     One   account 

60 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


speaks  of  a  red-haired  tribe  not  far  north  of  San 
Francisco,  and  still  another  of  "white  Indians" 
at  Monterey,  but,  judging  by  the  light  of  our 
subsequent  knowledge  of  these  aborigines,  the 
writers  of  these  reports  must  have  indulged  in 
exaggeration. 

On  the  southern  bank  of  the  Santa  Ana,  not 
far  from  the  coast,  is  the  town  of  the  same  name, 
and  further  inland  its  waters  have  made  to  bloom 
in  the  desert  the  famous  orange  orchards  of 
Riverside. 


SANTA  MONICA 

Santa  Monica,  situated  at  the  innermost  point 
of  the  great  curve  in  the  coast  line  just  west  of 
Los  Angeles,  was  named  in  honor  of  a  saintly 
hi(l>-  whose  stor>-  is  here  quoted  from  Clara  iM-skine 
Clement's  Slorics  of  tliv  Saints:  "She  was  the 
mother  of  St.  Augustine,  and  was  a  Christian, 
while  his  father  was  a  heathen.  Monica  was 
sorely  troubled  at  the  dissipated  life  of  lur  Noung 
son;  she  wejit  anrl  ])ra\'ed  for  him,  and  at  last 
sought  tlie  advice  and  aid  of  the  Hisho])  of  Carth- 
age, who  dismissed  her  with  these  words,  'do  in 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


peace;  the  son  of  so  many  tears  will  not  perish.' 
At  length  she  had  the  joy  of  beholding  the  bap- 
tism of  St.  Augustine  by  the  Bishop  of  Milan." 
Santa  Monica  is  venerated  as  the  great  pa- 
troness of  the  Augustinian  nuns,  and  might  well 
be  placed  at  the  head  of  the  world-wide  order  of 
"Anxious  Mothers." 


SANTA  CATALINA 

Santa  Catalina,  the  beautiful  island  off  the 
coast  of  Southern  California,  was  named  by 
Vizcaino  in  honor  of  St.  Catherine,  because  its 
discovery  occurred  on  the  eve  of  her  feast  day, 
November  24,  1602.  In  the  diary  of  the  voyage 
we  get  an  interesting  description  of  the  island  and 
its  aboriginal  inhabitants:  "We  continued  our 
journey  along  the  coast  until  November  24,  when, 
on  the  eve  of  the  glorious  Santa  Catalina,  we  dis- 
covered three  large  islands;  we  took  the  one  in  the 
middle,  which  is  more  than  twenty-five  leagues 
in  circumference,  on  November  27,  and  before 
dropping  anchor  in  a  good  cove  which  was  found, 
a  great  number  of  Indians  came  out  in  canoes  of 

62 


THEIR      M  K  A  N  I  N  G      A  N  I)      R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


cedar-wood  and  pine,  made  of  planking  well- 
joined  and  calked,  and  with  eight  oars  each,  and 
fourteen  or  fifteen  Indians,  who  looked  like  galley- 
slaves.  They  drew  near  and  came  on  board  our 
vessels  without  an)-  fear  whatever.  We  dropped 
anchor  and  went  on  shore.  There  were  on  the 
beach  a  great  number  of  Indians,  and  the  women 
received  us  with  roasted  sardines  and  a  fruit 
cooked  in  the  manner  of  sweet  potatoes." 

Mass  was  celebrated  there  in  the  presence  of 
I  50  Indians.  The  people  were  very  friendly  and 
the  women  led  the  white  men  by  the  hand  into 
their  houses.  The  diary  continues:  "These 
people  go  dressed  in  the  skins  of  seals;  the  women 
are  modest  but  thievish.  The  Indians  received 
us  with  embraces  and  brought  water  in  some  very 
well-made  jars,  and  in  others  like  flasks,  that  were 
highly  varnished  on  the  outside.  They  have  acorns 
and  some  very  large  skins,  with  long  wool,  ai)])ar- 
ciitl\-  of  bears,  \vhi(  h  scr\t'  ihcm  lor  blankets." 

'i'hc  travelers  found  here  an  idol,  "in  thr  tnaiuu'r 
of  the  devil,  without  a  head,  but  with  two  horns, 
a  dog  at  thf  feet,  and  man\-  chilchvn  ])ainted 
around  it."  The  Indians  rradily  ga\c'  iij)  this 
idol  and  accci)te(l  the  cross  in  its  stead. 

63 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


St.  Catherine,  patroness  of  this  island,  was  one 
of  the  most  notable  female  martyrs  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  church.  We  are  told  that  she  was  of 
royal  blood,  being  the  daughter  of  a  half-brother 
of  Constantine  the  Great.  She  was  converted  to 
Christianity,  and  became  noted  for  her  unusual 
sanctity.  She  was  both  beautiful  and  intellectual, 
and  possessed  the  gift  of  eloquence  in  such  a  high 
degree  that  she  was  able  to  confound  fifty  of  the 
most  learned  men  appointed  by  Maximin  to  dis- 
pute matters  of  religion  with  her.  The  same 
Maximin,  enraged  by  her  refusal  of  his  offers  of 
love,  ordered  that  she  be  tortured  "by  wheels 
flying  in  diilerent  directions,  to  tear  her  to  pieces. 
When  they  had  bound  her  to  these,  an  angel 
came  and  consumed  the  wheels  in  fire,  and  the 
fragments  flew  around  and  killed  the  executioners 
and  3000  people.  Maximin  finally  caused  her  to 
be  beheaded,  when  angels  came  and  bore  her 
body  to  the  top  of  Mt.  Sinai.  In  the  eighth  cen- 
tury a  monastery  was  built  over  her  burial  place." 
— {Stories  of  the  Saints.)  Santa  Catalina  is  the  pa- 
tronessof  education, science, philosophy, eloquence, 
and  of  all  colleges,  and  her  island  has  good  reason 
to  be  satisfied  with  the  name  chosen  by  Vizcaino. 

64 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


LAS  Animas  benditas 

Of  Las  Animas  (the  souls),  which  lay  between 
San  Gabriel  and  the  country  of  the  Amajaba 
(Mojave)  Indians,  we  find  the  story  in  P>ay 
Joaquin  Pasqual  Nuez's  diary  of  the  expedition 
made  in  1819  by  Lieutenant  Gabriel  Moraga,  to 
punish  the  marauding  Amajabas,  who  had  mur- 
dered a  number  of  Christian  natives.  This  name 
was  also  used  as  the  title  of  a  land  grant  just 
south  of  Gilroy. 

The  Moraga  party  arrived  at  a  point  "about  a 
league  and  a  half  from  Our  Lady  of  Guadalupe 
of  Guapiabit.  We  found  the  place  where  the 
Amajabas  killed  four  Christians  of  this  mission 
(San  (iabriel),  three  from  San  Fernando,  and  some 
gentiles  (unbaptized  Indians).  We  found  the 
skeletons  and  skulls  roasted,  and,  at  about  a 
gun-shot  from  there  we  pitched  camp.  The  next 
day,  after  mass,  we  caused  the  bones  to  be  carried 
in  procession,  the  cross  in  front.  Padre  Xuez 
chanting  funeral  services,  to  the  spot  where  they 
had  been  burned.  There  we  erected  a  cross,  at  the 
foot  of  which  we  caused  the  bones  to  be  buried 

65 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


in  a  deep  hole,  and  then  we  blessed  the  sepulchre. 
We  named  the  spot  Las  Animas  Benditas  (The 
Blessed  Souls)."    May  they  rest  in  peace! 

SAN  GABRIEL 

San  Gabriel,  the  quaint  little  town  lying  nine 
miles  east  of  Los  Angeles,  is  the  site  of  the  Mission 
San  Gabriel  Arcdngel  (St.  Gabriel  Archangel), 
founded  September  8,  1771,  by  Padres  Cambon 
and  Somera.  This  mission  was  placed  in  a  fertile, 
well- wooded  spot,  in  the  midst  of  a  large  Indian 
population,  who,  under  the  instruction  of  the 
padres,  became  experts  in  many  arts,  such  as 
sewing,  weaving,  soap-making,  cobbling,  etc. 
Their  flocks  and  herds  increased  to  such  an  extent 
that  they  covered  the  country  for  many  miles 
around. 

The  patron  saint,  San  Gabriel,  was  the  second 
in  rank  of  the  archangels  who  stand  before  the 
Lord.  Whenever  he  is  mentioned  in  the  Bible, 
it  is  as  a  messenger  bearing  important  tidings, 
and  he  is  especially  venerated  as  having  carried 
to  the  Virgin  the  message  that  she  was  to  become 
the  mother  of  Christ. 

66 


THEIR      MEANING     A  N  I)      R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


SAN  FERNANDO 

It  was  in  the  \'alley  of  San  Fernando  (St.  P'ercli- 
nand),  a  short  distance  northwest  of  Los  Angeles, 
that  the  mission  pertaining  to  the  latter  place  was 
established,  September  8,  1797,  by  Padres  Lasuen 
and  Dumetz.  The  Camulos  Rancho,  the  home  of 
Ramona,  the  heroine  of  Mrs.  Helen  Hunt  Jack- 
son's romance,  was  once  included  in  the  lands  of 
this  mission. 

St.  Ferdinand,  King  of  Spain,  in  whose  honor 
this  place  was  named,  was  a  notable  warrior,  as 
well  as  a  saint,  and  he  succeeded  in  expelling  the 
Moors  from  Toledo,  Cordova  and  Seville.  He  is 
said  also  to  have  been  a  patron  of  the  arts,  and  to 
have  been  the  founder  of  the  cathedral  at  Burgos, 
celebrated  for  the  beauty  of  its  architecture.  But 
more  than  for  such  attainments,  he  is  remembered 
for  his  tenderness  toward  the  poor  and  lowly  of 
his  people.  When  urged  to  i)ut  a  tax  ui)()n  them 
in  order  to  recruit  his  army,  he  re])lie(i:  "(iod,  in 
whose  cause  I  light,  will  su])])!}-  my  need.  I  fear- 
more  the  curse  of  one  poor  old  woman  than  a  w  hole 
army  of  Moors." — {Slorics  of  the  Saints.) 

69 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


TEMESCAL 

Temescal  (sweathouse),  in  ^Riverside  County, 
although  a  place  of  no  great  importance  in  itself, 
is  interesting  in  that  its  name  recalls  one  of  the 
curious  customs  widely  prevalent  among  the 
natives  of  the  Southwest.  The  word  itself  is  of 
Aztec  origin,  and  was  brought  to  California  by  the 
Franciscans. 

The  temescal  is  thus  described  by  Dr.  A.  L. 
Kroeber,  in  the  University  of  California  Publica- 
tions in  Archaeology  and  Ethnology:  "At  the 
Banning  Reservation  a  sweathouse  is  still  in  use. 
From  the  outside  its  appearance  is  that  of  a  small 
mound.  The  ground  has  been  excavated  to  the 
depth  of  a  foot  or  a  foot  and  a  half,  over  a  space 
of  about  twelve  by  seven  or  eight  feet.  In  the 
center  of  this  area  two  heavy  posts  are  set  up 
three  or  four  feet  apart.  These  are  connected  at 
the  top  by  a  log  laid  in  their  forks.  Upon  this 
log,  and  in  the  two  forks,  are  laid  some  fifty  or 
more  logs  and  sticks  of  various  dimensions,  their 
ends  sloping  down  to  the  edge  of  the  excavation. 
It  is  probable  that  brush  covers  these  timbers. 

70 


THEIR      M  E  A  X  I  X  G      A  X  D      R  O  M  A  X  C  E 


The  whole  is  thoroughly  covered  wath  earth. 
There  is  no  Smoke  hole.  The  entrance  is  on  one 
of  the  long  sides,  directly  facing  the  space  between 
the  two  center  posts,  and  only  a  few  feet  from 
them.  The  fireplace  is  between  the  entrance  and 
the  posts.  It  is  just  possible  to  stand  upright  in 
the  center  of  the  house.  In  Northern  California, 
the  so-called  sweathouse  is  of  larger  dimensions, 
and  was  preeminently  a  ceremonial  or  assembly 
chamber." 

Dr.  L.  H.  Bunnell,  in  his  history  of  the  dis- 
covery of  the  Yosemite  valley,  gives  us  some  inter- 
esting details  of  the  use  of  the  sweathouse  among 
the  Indians  of  that  region  :  "The  remains  of  these 
structures  were  sometimes  mistaken  tor  ///;;/////, 
being  constructed  of  bark,  reeds  or  grass,  covered 
with  mud.  It  (the  sweathouse),  was  used  as  a 
curative  for  disease,  and  as  a  convenience  tor 
cleansing  the  skin,  when  necessity  demands  it, 
although  the  Indian  race  is  not  noted  for  cleanli- 
ness. 1  ha\'e  seen  a  half-do/en  or  more  enter  one 
of  these  rudely  constructed  sweathouses  through 
the  small  a])erture  Kit  tor  ihe  purjiose.  Ih-t 
stones  are  taken  in.  the  ;i|)eiture  is  closed  until 
suffocation    would    seem    impending,    when    they 

71 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


would  crawl  out,  reeking  with  perspiration,  and 
with  a  shout,  spring  like  acrobats  into  the  cold 
waters  of  the  stream.  As  a  remedial  agent  for 
disease,  the  same  course  is  pursued,  though  varied 
at  times  by  the  burning  and  inhalation  of  resinous 
boughs  and  herbs.  In  the  process  of  cleansing 
the  skin  from  impurities,  hot  air  alone  is  generally 
used.  If  an  Indian  had  passed  the  usual  period 
of  mourning  for  a  relative,  and  the  adhesive  pitch 
too  tenaciously  clung  to  his  no  longer  sorrowful 
countenance,  he  would  enter  and  re-enter  the 
heated  house  until  the  cleansing  had  become 
complete.  The  mourning  pitch  is  composed  of  the 
charred  bones  and  ashes  of  the  dead  relative  or 
friend.  These  remains  of  the  funeral  pyre,  with 
the  charcoal,  are  pulverized  and  mixed  with  the 
resin  of  the  pine;  this  hideous  mixture  is  usually 
retained  upon  the  face  of  the  mourner  until  it 
wears  off.  If  it  has  been  well-compounded,  it 
may  last  nearly  a  year;  although  the  young,  either 
from  a  super-abundance  of  vitality,  excessive 
reparative  powers  of  the  skin,  or  from  powers  of 
will,  seldom  mourn  so  long.  When  the  bare  sur- 
face exceeds  that  covered  by  the  pitch,  it  is  not  a 
scandalous  disrespect  in  the  young  to  remove  it 

72 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


entirely,  but  a  mother  will  seldom  remove  pitch 
or  garment  until  both  are  nearly  worn  out." 

This  heroic  treatment,  while  possibly  efficacious 
in  the  simple  ailments  by  which  the  Indians  were 
most  often  afflicted,  usually  resulted  in  a  great 
increase  of  mortality  in  the  epidemics  of  smallpox 
following  upon  the  footsteps  of  the  white  man. 
One  traveler  speaks  of  a  severe  sort  of  inter- 
mittent fever,  to  which  the  natives  were  subject, 
and  of  which  so  many  died  that  hundreds  of  bodies 
were  found  strewn  about  the  country.  Having 
observed  that  the  whites,  even  when  attacked  by 
this  fever,  rarely  died  of  it,  he  was  inclined  to 
ascribe  the  mortality  among  the  natives  to  their 
great  cure-all,  the  tcmescal. 

A  number  of  places  in  the  state  bore  this  name, 
among  them  a  small  town  lying  between  the  sites 
now  occupied  by  the  flourishing  cities  of  Oakland 
and  Berkeley.  lis  citizens  became  discontented 
with  the  undignified  character  of  the  name,  and 
changed  it   to   Alden. 


73 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


SAN  BERNARDINO 

San  Bernardino  is  the  name  of  a  county  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  Cahfornia,  whose  broad 
expanse  is  mainly  made  up  oi  volcanic  mountains, 
desert  plains,  and  valleys  without  timber  or 
water. 

The  name  was  first  given  to  the  snow-capped 
peak,  1 1, 600  feet  high,  lying  about  twenty  miles 
east  of  the  city  of  San  Bernardino,  which  is  sit- 
uated sixty  miles  east  of  Los  Angeles,  in  the  fruit 
and  alfalfa  region.  The  name  of  this  town  is  one 
of  the  most  regrettable  examples  of  corruption 
that  have  occurred  in  the  state,  having  passed 
from  its  original  sweetly  flowing  syllables  through 
the  successive  stages  of  San  Berdino,  Berdino, 
until  finally  reaching  the  acme  of  vulgarity  as 
Berdoo,  by  which  appellation  it  is  known  to  its 
immediate  neighbors.  If  ideas  of  romance,  of 
pleasant-sounding  words,  and  of  fidelity  to  history 
make  no  appeal  to  our  fellow-Californians,  let 
them  read  again  the  quotation  from  Stevenson 
given  above,  and  learn  that  a  romantic  nomencla- 
ture may  sometimes  be  a  valuable  financial  asset. 

74 


THEIR     MEANING      AND      R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


San  Bernardino  (St.  Bernardinus),  the  patron 
saint  of  the  places  bearing  his  name,  is  particularly 
remembered  as  the  founder  of  the  charitable 
institution  known  in  Spanish  as  Monte  de  Piedad 
(hill  of  pity),  and  in  French  as  Mont  de  Piete,^ 
municipal  pawnshops  where  money  was  loaned.^ 
on  pledges  to  the  poor.  These  pawnshops  are 
still  conducted  in  many  Spanish  towns,  in  America 
as  well  as  in  Europe. 


SUPPLEMENTARY  LIST 

Abalone  Point,  some  miles  to  the  southeast  of 
San  Pedro  bay,  was  no  doubt  so-named  from 
the  abundance  of  the  great  sea  snails  called 
abalone,  whose  iridescent  shells,  the  abandoned 
dwellings  of  the  dead  animals,  almost  comjiarable 
in  beauty  to  the  mother-of-pearl,  once  covered  the 
beaches  of  the  California  coast  with  a  gh't taring 
carpet.  The  word  "once"  is  used  advisedl\-,  for, 
with  our  usual  easy-going  American  negligence 
we  have  permitted  these  creatures  ol  tlu'  sea, 
valuable  for  their  ediblr  meat  as  wt'll  as  for  tluir 
exquisitely  colored  shells,  to  be  nearl\-  destroxed 

75 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


by  Chinese  and  Japanese  fisheries.  That  the 
flesh  of  the  abalone  formed  a  useful  part  of  the 
food  supply  of  the  Indians  is  evidenced  by  the 
large  number  of  shells  to  be  found  in  the  mounds 
along  the  shore.  In  the  living  state  the  abalone 
clings  to  the  rocks  on  the  shore,  and  its  grip  is 
so  tenacious  that  more  than  one  unfortunate  per- 
son, caught  by  the  foot  or  hand  between  the 
shell  and  the  rock,  has  been  held  there  while 
death  crept  slowly  upon  him  in  the  shape  of  the 
rising  tide.  There  is  another  Abalone  Point  on 
the  northern  coast. 

Agiia  Caliente  (literally  "hot  water"),  generally 
used  in  reference  to  hot  springs.  Of  these  there 
are  many  in  the  state,  one  on  the  Indian  Reser- 
vation southeast  of  Riverside.  Agua  Caliente 
was  originally  a  land  grant. 

Alamitos  (Httle  cottonwoods),  from  alamo,  a 
tree  of  the  poplar  family  indigenous  to  Cali- 
fornia. There  are  several  places  bearing  this  name 
in  the  state,  one  a  short  distance  northeast  of 
Santa  Ana. 

Aliso  (alder  tree),  is  the  name  of  a  place  on 
the  Santa  Fe  Railroad,  south  of  Los  Angeles, 
near  the    shore,    and   was  probably   named  for 

76 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


the  Rancho  Canada  de  los  Alisos.  It  is  probably 
modern. 

AzMsa  is  the  name  of  a  place  in  Los  Angeles 
County,  twenty  miles  east  of  Los  Angeles,  and  was 
originally  applied  to  the  land  grant  there.  It  is 
an  Indian  place  name  of  a  lodge,  or  rancheria,  the 
original  form  being  Asiiksa-gna,  the  gna  an  ending 
which  indicates  place. 

Bandini  fa  surname),  is  the  name  of  a  place  a 
short  distance  southeast  of  Los  Angeles,  on  the 
Santa  P'e  Railroad.  The  founder  of  this  family 
was  Jose  Bandini,  a  mariner  of  Spanish  birth, 
who  came  to  California  with  war  suj^j^lies,  and 
finally  settled  at  San  Diego.  His  son,  Juan  Ban- 
dini, was  a  notable  character  in  the  history  of  the 
state.  He  held  several  public  ofiices,  took  part 
in  revolutions  and  colonization  schemes,  and  finally 
espoused  the  cause  of  the  United  States.  Ban- 
croft gives  the  following  resume  of  his  character: 
"Juan  Bandini  must  be  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  prominent  men  of  his  time  in  (  alitotnia. 
He  was  a  man  of  fair  abilities  and  education,  ot 
generous  impulses,  of  jovial  temixraimiU,  a  most 
interesting  man  sociull\-,  famous  lor  his  grnlle- 
manly  manners,  of  good  courage  in  the  midst  ol 

77 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


personal  misfortunes,  and  always  well-liked  and 
respected;  indeed  his  record  as  a  citizen  was  an 
excellent  one.  In  his  struggles  against  fate  and 
the  stupidity  of  his  compatriots  he  became 
absurdly  diplomatic  and  tricky  as  a  politician. 
He  was  an  eloquent  speaker  and  fluent  writer." 
Members  of  the  Bandini  family  still  occupy 
positions  of  respect  and  influence  in  the  state  and 
have  made  some  important  additions  to  its  his- 
torical literature. 

Bolsa  (pocket),  a  term  much  in  use  with  the 
Spaniards  to  signify  a  shut-in  place.  Bolsa  is  in 
Orange  County,  twelve  miles  north  by  west  of 
Tres  Pinos,  and  was  probably  named  from  the 
land  grant,  Rancho  de  las  Bolsas. 

Cahezon  (big  head) ,  is  the  name  of  a  place  south- 
east of  Colton.  It  was  probably  named  for  a 
large-headed  Indian  chief  who  lived  there  at  one 
time  and  who  received  this  name  in  pursuance  of 
an  Indian  custom  of  fitting  names  to  physical 
peculiarities.  This  name  is  improperly  spelled 
on  some  maps  as  Cabazon. 

Cahuilla,  the  name  of  an  Indian  tribe,  probably 
"Spanishized"  in  its  spelling  from  Ka-we-a.  The 
valley  and  village  of  this  name  are  situated  in  the 

78 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


San  Jacinto  Forest  Reserve,  southeast  of  River- 
side, and  received  their  name  from  a  tribe  who 
lived,  in  1776,  on  the  northern  slopes  of  the  San 
Jacinto  Mountains.  The  word  Cahiiilla  is  of 
uncertain  derivation. 

Calabazas  (pumpkins),  is  northwest  of  Los 
Angeles.  This  is  possibly  a  corruption  of  an 
Indian  word,  Calahiiasa,  the  name  of  a  former 
Chumash  village  near  the  mission  of  Santa  Inez. 
There  is  another  possibility  that  this  name  may 
have  been  given  to  the  i)lace  by  the  Spaniards 
in  reference  to  the  wild  gourd  which  grows  abun- 
dantly there  and  whose  fruit  may  have  been  con- 
sidered by  them  to  bear  some  resemblance  to 
pumi)kins,  but  this  is  of  course  mere  conjecture. 

Casa  Blanca  (white  house),  is  a  short  distance 
west  of  Riverside,  on  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad,  so- 
called  from  a  large  white  ranch  house  once  in 
conspicuous  view  from  the  railroad  station. 

Casco  (skull),  shell  or  outside  jxirl  of  anything. 
El  Casco  is  situated  about  IweKe  miles  east  of 
Riversiflc.  Its  ai)])li(,atioii  lure  has  not  been 
ascertained. 

Conrjo  (raljl)il),  is  the  iianu'  ol"  a  nunihiT  of 
places   in    the   state,   one   of   tluin    in    the   Santa 

79 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Monica  Mountains,  another  in  the  Central  Valley, 
on  the  Santa  Fe  road. 

Cucamonga,  is  an  Indian  name,  derived  from  a 
village  in  San  Bernardino  County,  forty- two  miles 
by  rail  east  of  Los  Angeles.  It  was  originally 
applied  to  the  land  grant  at  that  place. 

Diiarte,  a  surname. 

Las  Flores  (the  flowers).  At  this  place  there  was 
once  a  large  Indian  village,  called  in  the  native 
language  ushmai,  the  place  of  roses,  from  ushla, 
rose. 

Garvanza  (chick-pea). 

Hermosa  (beautiful),  is  the  name  of  a  town  in 
San  Bernardino  County,  and  of  a  beach  in  Los 
Angeles  County. 

Indio,  the  Spanish  word  for  "Indian,"  is  the 
name  of  a  place  in  Riverside  County,  near  Colton. 

La  Joya  (the  jewel). 

Laguna  (lagoon), 

Ledn  (lion). 

La  Mirada  (the  view). 

Los  Molinos  (the  mills,  or  mill-stones),  a  name 
applied  to  a  place  east  of  San  Gabriel  by  the 
Moraga  party  of  1819,  who  went  out  from  the 
mission    on    a    punitive    expedition    against    the 

80 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


Amajaba  (Mojave)  Indians.  Padre  Nuez,  who 
accompanied  the  party,  says:  "On  the  return  we 
passed  by  a  place  where  there  was  plenty  of  water, 
below  a  hill  of  red  stone,  ver}'  suitable  for  mill- 
stones." The  same  name,  probably  for  similar 
reasons,  was  applied  to  other  places  in  the  state, 
among  them  one  in  Sonoma  County,  and  Mill 
Creek  in  Tehama  County,  originally  called  El  Rio 
de  los  Molinos  (The  River  of  the  Mill-stones). 

Montalvo  (a  surname),  the  name  of  a  place  in 
Ventura  County,  near  Ventura.  This  name  is 
interesting  as  being  the  same  as  that  borne  by  the 
author  of  Las  Sergas  dc  Esplandidn,  in  which  the 
fabulous  island  of  California  plays  a  leading  part. 

Miiriefla  (a  surname),  the  same  as  that  of  the 
noted  bandit,  Joaquin  Murietta,  who  once  ter- 
rorized California  with  his  depredations.  The 
town  of  Murietta,  however,  was  not  named  in 
honor  of  this  gentleman  of  unsavory  memory, 
l)ut  for  Mr.  J.  Murietta,  who  is  still  livin<;  in 
Southern  Cahfornia. 

Los  Xirlos  (literally  "the  grandchildren"),  but 
in  this  case  a  surname,  tiial  of  the  Xieto  family. 
Los  Xietos  was  a  land  grant  taken  u])  b\  Manuel 
Nieto  and  Jose  Maria  Verdugo  in   1784. 

81 


PLACE      NAMES      OF       CALIFORNIA 


Pasadena,  said  to  be  derived  from  the  Chippewa 
Indian  language.  The  full  name  is  said  to  be 
Weoquan  Pasadena,  and  the  meaning  to  be  "Crown 
of  the  Valley."  Let  no  man  believe  in  the  absurd 
story  that  it  means  "Pass  of  Eden." 

Prado  (meadow) .  "The  Prado"  is  also  the  name 
of  a  famous  promenade  in  the  city  of  Madrid. 

Puente  (bridge),  in  Los  Angeles  County,  was 
taken  from  the  name  of  the  land  grant,  Rancho 
de  la  Puente. 

Pulgas  Creek  (fleas  creek). 

Redondo  Beach,  (round  beach),  a  well-known 
seaside  resort  near  Los  Angeles,  is  usually  sup- 
posed to  have  received  its  name  from  the  curved 
line  of  the  shore  there,  but  the  fact  that  a  land 
grant  occupying  that  identical  spot  was  called 
Sausal  Redondo  (round  willow-grove),  from  a 
clump  of  willows  growing  there  accounts  for 
its  name. 

Rivera  (river,  stream).  Rivera  was  also  the 
name  of  a  pioneer  family. 

Rodeo  de  las  Aguas  (gathering  of  the  waters), 
a  name  once  given  to  the  present  site  of  La  Brea 
Rancho,  near  Los  Angeles,  perhaps  because  there 
is  at   that  point  a  natural  amphitheatre  which 

82 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


receives  the  greater  portion  of  the  waters  flowing 
from  the  neighboring  mountains  and  the  Ca- 
huenga  Pass. 

San  Ckmente  (St.  Clement),  the  name  of  the 
island  fifteen  miles  south  of  Santa  Catalina.  The 
saint  for  whom  this  island  was  named  "was  con- 
demned to  be  cast  into  the  sea  bound  to  an  anchor. 
But  when  the  Christians  prayed,  the  waters  were 
driven  back  for  three  miles,  and  they  saw  a  ruined 
temple  which  the  sea  had  covered,  and  in  it  was 
found  the  body  of  the  saint,  with  the  anchor 
round  his  neck.  For  many  years,  at  the  anni- 
versary of  his  death,  the  sea  retreated  for  seven 
days,  and  j^ilgrimages  were  made  to  this  sub- 
marine tomb." — {Stories  oj  the  Saints.) 

San  Jacinto  (St.  Hyacinth),  was  a  Silcsian 
nobleman  who  became  a  monk,  and  was  noted 
for  his  intellectual  superiority,  as  well  as  for  liis 
piety.  San  Jacinto  is  the  name  of  a  town  in  Ri\  er- 
side  County,  thirt>'  miles  southeast  of  Riverside, 
in  the  fruit  region,  and  of  the  range  of  mountains 
in  the  same  countw 

San  J UiUi   I'oiiil  (St.  John    j'oint). 

San  Malvo  /'oliil  (St.  .Matthew  I'oiiit). 

San  OnoJ'rc  (St.  Onophrius),  was  a  hermit  saint 

83 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


who      chief  claim  to  sanctity  seems  to  have  been 
that    le  deprived  himself  of  all  the  comforts  of 
life  and  lived  for  sixty  years  in  the  desert,  "durin; 
which  time  he  never  uttered  a  word  except  in 
pra^  T,  nor  saw  a  human  face." 

San  Pedro  (St.  Peter),  is  on  San  Pedro  bay, 
twenty-six  miles  south  of  Los  Angeles.  St.  Peter, 
the  fisherman  apostle  and  companion  of  St.  Paul, 
is  usually  represented  as  the  custodian  of  the  keys 
of  Heaven  and  Hell,  one  key  being  of  gold  and  the 
other  of  iron.  "There  is  a  legend  that  the  Gentiles 
shaved  his  head  in  mockery,  and  that  from  this 
originated  the  tonsure  of  the  priests."  Peter 
suffered  martyrdom  by  crucifixion,  "but  tra- 
ditions disagree  in  regard  to  the  place  where  he 
suffered."  The  name  Peter  is  said  to  signify  "a 
rock."  "Thou  art  Peter,  on  this  rock  have  I 
founded  My  church."— (Matthew,  i6,  i8.) 

Saticoy  was  the  name  of  a  former  Chumash 
Indian  village  on  the  lower  part  of  Santa  Paula 
River,  in  Ventura  County,  about  eight  miles  from 
the  sea.  The  present  town  of  Saticoy  is  on  the  Santa 
Clara  River,  in  Ventura  County,  near  Ventura. 

Serra  (a  surname),  probably  given  in  honor  of 
the  celebrated  founder  of  the  California  missions. 

84 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     RO'^ANCE 


El  Toro  (the  bull). 

Trahiico  Canyon  (literally  blunderbuss  can_  3n), 
irom  trabuco,  a  short,  wide-mouthed  gun  formerly 
used  by  the  Spaniards,  although  this  may  n  't  be 
the  true  derivation  of  the  name  in  this  case.  One 
writer  has  translated  this  name  as  "land  much 
tumbled  about,"  but  where  he  obtained  such  a 
meaning  remains  an  impenetrable  mystery.  Tra- 
buco may  be  a  surname  here. 

V'alle  Verde  (green  valley),  incorrectl}'  spelled 
on  the  map  as  Val  Verde. 

Valle  Vista  (valley  view),  is  in  Ri\'erside  County, 
five  miles  northwest  of  San  Jacinto.  Tliis  name 
is  modern  and  incorrect  in  construction. 

Verdugo  was  named  for  the  Verdugo  family, 
the  owners  of  the  Ranclio  San  Rafael,  northeast 
of  Los  Angeles  and  near  the  base  of  the  Verdugo 
mountains.  Jose  Maria  Verdugo  was  one  of  the 
grantees  of  the  Xietos  grant  in  1784. 

Vicente  Point  (Point  Vincent).  This  i)oint  was 
named  in  lyg-;  by  Cieorge  Vancou\cr,  the  Knglish 
explorer,  in  honor  of  i-'riar  \'icente  Santa  Maria, 
"one  of  the  reverend  fathers  of  the  mission  of 
Buena  Ventura." 


«5 


IN  THE  VICINITY  OF,, 

\    SANTA  BARBARA  ""^""^ 


V 

TX  THE  VICINITY  OF  SANTA  BARBARA 

Santa  Barbara,  the  charming  httle  town  that 
dreams  away  its  existence  among  the  flowers  of 
its   old   gardens,   on   the   shore   of   the   sheltered 
stretch  of  water  formed  by  the  islands  lying  to  the 
seaward,  was  named  for  a  noble  lady  of  Heliopolis, 
the    daughter   of   Dioscorus.      She    became    con- 
verted to  Christianity,  and  was  in  consequence 
cruelly  persecuted  and   fmally  beheaded   b\    her 
own    father.      "The    legend    that    lier    father   was 
struck  by  lightning  in  i)unishment  for  this  ciiiiu' 
])robably  caused  her  to  be  regarded  by  the  com- 
mon people  as  the  guardian  saint  against  tempest 
and  fire,  and  later,  by  analogy,  as  the  protectress 
of  artillery-men  and   miners." — (Catholic  Ency- 
clopedia.)     I'or  this  reason  Iut  image  was  placed 
over  the    doors    of    powder    magazines,  and    her 
name  came  at  last  to  be   a})plie(l    to   the   maga- 
zines themselves,  which  are  known  to  the  Si)anish 
people  as  sanUibdrbaras.      Thus   is  exjilained    the 
apparent   incongruit\-   between    the   name    ol    the 

•So 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


gentle    saint   and   the   places   for  storage  of  the 
instruments  of  savage  war. 

At  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards  the 
shores  of  the  Santa  Barbara  channel  probably 
supported  a  denser  native  population  than  any 
other  part  of  the  state.  The  gracious  climate  and 
never-failing  food  supply  furnished  by  the  gener- 
ous waters  of  the  ocean,  enabled  the  Indians 
to  live  at  ease. 

When  Cabrillo  entered  the  channel  in  1542,  he 
reported  that:  "A  great  number  of  Indians  issued 
from  the  bushes,  yelling  and  dancing,  and  making 
signs,  inviting  us  to  come  on  shore.  They  laid 
down  their  bows  and  arrows  and  came  to  the 
vessel  in  a  good  canoe.  They  possessed  boats, 
large  enough  to  carry  twelve  or  fourteen  men, 
well-constructed  of  bent  planks  and  cemented 
with  bitumen." 

These  Indians  were  of  a  higher  order  of  intelli- 
gence than  those  further  north,  and  were  skilled 
in  some  of  the  arts,  including  the  making  of 
excellent  pottery.  They  were  expert  fishermen, 
using  nets  for  the  purpose,  and  often  eating  the 
fish  raw.  They  wore  their  hair  long,  tied  up  with 
long  cords,  to  which  many  small  daggers  of  flint, 

90 


(/■. 


'"■  X 


—     X 

■z.  y. 


3 


O 
D 


■c 

ft 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


wood  and  bone  were  attached.  They  had  some 
notion  of  music,  using  a  primitive  sort  of  flute, 
or  whistle,  made  of  the  hollow  bones  of  birds. 
They  lived  in  conical  houses,  which  were  covered 
well  down  to  the  ground. 

WTien  P^ather  Serra  passed  that  way,  more  than 
two  centuries  later,  he  found  the  same  conditions 
of  population,  counting  as  many  as  twenty 
populous  villages  along  the  channel.  He  was 
moved  to  bitter  tears  of  grief  over  the  delay 
in  establishing  a  mission  where  so  rich  a  harvest 
of  souls  lay  ready  to  his  hand.  He  died  before 
this  dearest  wish  of  his  heart  was  accom])lished, 
yet  Santa  Barbara  may  justly  claim  the  honor 
of  his  presence  at  her  birth,  for  he  took  part  in 
the  establishment  of  the  presidio,  which  occurred 
in  1783,  three  years  before  the  building  of  tlie 
mission.  In  Palou's  Life  of  Serra  he  describes  that 
occasion  thus:  "The  party  traveled  along  the 
coast  of  the  channel,  in  sight  of  the  islands  which 
form  it,  and  when  llu'\-  jiidgcd  it  to  be  about 
half-way,  about  nine  leagues  from  San  liiunaNcii- 
tura,  they  stopped  and  selected  a  site  for  llu-  pre- 
sidio, in  siglit  of  tlie  beach,  which  there  forms  a 
sort  of  bay,  furnishing  anchorage  for  shii)S.     On 

93 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


this  beach  there  was  a  large  village  of  Gentiles. 
Here  the  cross  was  raised,  Father  Serra  blessed 
it  and  the  land,  and  held  mass.  The  following 
day  they  began  to  cut  wood  for  the  building  of 
the  chapel,  the  priest's  house,  officials'  houses, 
cuartel,  almacenes  (storehouses),  houses  for  fam- 
ilies of  married  soldiers  and  the  stockade." 

The  mission,  which  is  still  in  an  excellent  state  of 
preservation,  was  not  established  until  December 
4,  1786,  although  Serra  looked  upon  that  location 
as  the  most  desirable  in  California,  and  spent  the 
last  years  of  his  life  in  constant  efforts  to  urge 
on  the  authorities  to  the  work.  That  his  hopes 
were  realized  to  the  full  after  his  death,  and  that 
large  numbers  of  natives,  as  well  as  the  succeeding 
white  parishioners,  knelt  before  the  altar  dedicated 
to  the  gentle  Santa  Barbara,  is  evidenced  by  the 
deeply  worn  marks  of  several  generations  of  feet 
to  be  seen  in  the  wide  flight  of  steps  at  the  entrance. 

A  circumstance  that  makes  Santa  Barbara 
unique  among  the  missions  is  that  within  her 
gardens,  hidden  behind  their  secluding  walls, 
there  is  a  "holy  of  holies"  where  no  woman's 
foot  is  permitted  to  desecrate  the  sacred  ground. 
It  is  quite  likely  that  this  rule  is  kept  up  by  the 

94 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


brothers  now  in  charge  of  the  mission,  rather 
through  a  desire  to  preserve  the  traditions  of  the 
old  church  than  through  any  unwarranted  pre- 
judice against  the  fair  sex. 


SAN  BUENAVENTURA 

San  Buenaventura  Mission,  at  the  town  now 
called  Ventura,  stands  near  the  southeastern  end 
of  the  Santa  Barbara  channel.  It  was  the  last 
work  of  the  great  Serra,  and  was  founded  March 
31,  1782,,  by  the  venerable  president  himself  and 
Father  Cambon.  Palou  gives  us  a  detailed  account 
of  this  event  in  his  IJfc  of  Serra:  "March  26,  the 
whole  party,  the  largest  ever  engaged  in  the 
founding  of  a  mission,  soldiers,  settlers,  and  their 
families,  muleteers,  etc.,  but  only  two  priests, 
Padres  Serra  and  Cambon,  set  out  .... 
They  went  on  to  the  head  of  \hv  channel,  a  site 
near  the  beach,  on  w  liose  edge  there  was  a  large 
town  of  Gentiles,  (unbaptizcd  Indians),  well  built 
of  ])yramidal  houses  made  of  straw.  They  raised 
the  cross,  erected  an  arbor  to  serve  as  chaj)el,  made 
an  altar  and  adorned  it.    On  the  last  day  of  March 

95 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


they  took  possession  and  held  the  first  mass.  The 
natives  assisted  wiUingly  in  building  the  chapel, 
and  continued  friendly,  helping  to  build  a  house 
for  the  padre, — all  of  wood.  The  soldiers  began 
to  cut  timbers  for  their  houses,  and  for  the  stock- 
ade. They  also  went  to  work  at  once  to  conduct 
water  by  ditches  from  a  neighboring  stream,  to 
bring  it  conveniently  near  the  houses,  and  to 
serve  to  irrigate  crops.  By  means  of  a  neophyte, 
brought  from  San  Gabriel,  they  were  able  to  com- 
municate with  the  natives,  and  to  let  them  know 
that  their  only  purpose  in  coming  here  was  to 
direct  their  souls  to  Heaven." 

The  patron  of  this  mission  was  originally  named 
Giovanni  Fidanga.  When  a  child  he  fell  very  ill, 
and  was  taken  by  his  mother  to  St.  Francis  to  be 
healed.  When  the  saint  saw  him  recovered  he 
exclaimed:  "O  buena  ventura!"  whereupon  his 
mother  dedicated  him  to  God  by  the  name  of 
Buenaventura  (good  fortune).  It  is  a  pity  that  a 
name  of  such  happy  auguryshould  be  mutilated 
by  the  amputation  of  its  first  part,  the  town  and 
county  now  appearing  as  Ventura. 


96 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


ASUNCION 

In  the  diaries  of  the  Spanish  pioneers,  a  distinct 
impression  is  conveyed  that  the  Cahfornia  Indians, 
so  far  from  being  morose  and  taciturn,  as  their 
brothers  in  other  parts  of  the  United  States  are 
often  portrayed,  were  rather  a  merry  lot,  and 
received  the  white  men  everywhere  in  their  long 
journey  up  the  coast,  with  music,  feasting  and  the 
dance.  In  fact,  we  run  across  a  complaint  now 
and  then  that  their  hospitality  was  sometimes  so 
insistent  that  their  guests  suffered  from  loss  of 
sleep,  the  serenading  being  kc})!  up  during  the 
entire  night. 

Their  music,  no  doubt  of  the  most  ])rimitive 
sort,  was  produced  by  means  of  "a  small  whistle, 
sometimes  double,  sometimes  single,  about  the 
size  and  length  of  a  common  fife.  It  was  held  in 
the  mouth  1)\'  one  end,  without  ihr  aid  ot  the 
fiiigiTS,  and  only  about  two  notes  could  be  sounded 
on  it." --(Bancroft,  from  Cal.  Farmer.) 

Along  the  Santa  Barbara  channel  tlie  festivities 
in  honor  of  the  strangers  were  especiall\-  h\ei\-. 
M  Asiiiirioii  (Ascension),  a  ])()int  on  the  coast  h\e 

97 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


leagues  below  Carpinteria,  they  received  a  recep- 
tion of  which  we  read  in  Costanso's  diary  of  the 
Portola  expedition  of  1769,  date  of  August  14: 
"We  reached  the  coast,  and  came  in  sight  of  a 
real  town,  situated  on  a  tongue  or  point  of  land, 
right  on  the  shore,  which  it  dominated,  seeming 
to  command  the  waters.  We  counted  as  many  as 
thirty  large  and  capacious  houses,  spherical  in 
form,  well  built  and  thatched  with  grass.  We 
judged  there  could  not  be  less  than  four  hundred 
souls  in  the  town.  These  natives  are  well  built 
and  of  a  good  disposition,  very  agile  and  alert,  dili- 
gent and  skillful.  Their  handiness  and  ability  were 
at  their  best  in  the  construction  of  their  canoes, 
made  of  good  pine  boards,  well  joined  and  calked, 
and  of  a  pleasing  form.  They  handle  these  with 
equal  skill,  and  three  or  four  men  go  out  to  sea  in 
them  to  fish,  for  they  will  hold  eight  or  ten  men. 
They  use  long,  double-bladed  paddles,  and  row 
with  indescribable  agility  and  swiftness.  All  their 
work  is  neat  and  well  finished,  and  what  is  most 
worthy  of  surprise  is  that  to  work  the  wood  and 
stone  they  have  no  other  tools  than  those  made  of 
flint  ....  We  saw,  and  obtained  in 
exchange  for  strings  of  glass  beads,   and  other 

98 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


trinkets,  some  baskets  or  trays  made  of  reeds, 
with  different  designs;  wooden  plates,  and  bowls 
of  different  forms  and  sizes,  made  of  one  piece, 
so  that  not  even  those  turned  out  in  a  lathe  could 
be  more  successful.  They  presented  us  with  a 
quantity  of  fish,  particularly  the  kind  known  as 
bonito;  it  had  as  good  a  flavor  as  that  caught  in  the 
tunny-fisheries  of  Cartegena  de  Levante,  and  on 
the  coasts  of  Granada.  We  gave  it  the  name  of 
La  Asuncion  de  Nuestra  Sefiora  (the  Ascension  of 
Our  Lady),  because  we  reached  it  on  the  eve  of 
that  festival." — (Translation  edited  by  Frederick 
J.  Teggart.) 

EL  BAILARIN 

El  Bailarin  (the  dancer).  This  spot,  one  league 
from  ("arpinteria,  was  named  in  honor  of  a  nimble- 
footed  Indian,  who  cheered  the  weary  trawlers 
on  their  way,  as  thus  told  by  Father  Cres])i,  in 
his  diary  of  the  Portola  expedition:  "This  place 
was  named  through  the  notable  fact  of  an  Indian 
having  feasted  us  extraordinarih-  two  leagues 
beyond  (always  coasting  the  sea-shore),  where 
there  is  a  large  town  on  a  jioint  of  land  on  the 
same  shore;  whii  h    Indian   was  a   robust   man   ot 

99 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


good  form,  and  a  great  dancer;  through  respect 
for  him  we  called  this  town,  of  which  our  friend 
was  a  resident.  El  Pueblo  del  Bailarin  (the  Town 
of  the  Dancer)." 

Rancheria  del  Baile  de  las  Indias  (Village  of  the 
Dance  of  the  Indian  Women).  As  a  rule,  the 
women  seemed  to  take  no  part  in  the  dances,  but 
Costanso  tells  of  one  occasion  when  they  joined 
in  the  festivities:  "They  honored  us  with  a 
dance,  and  it  was  the  first  place  where  we  saw  the 
women  dance.  Two  of  these  excelled  the  others; 
they  had  a  bunch  of  flowers  in  their  hands,  and 
accompanied  the  dance  with  various  graceful 
gestures  and  movements,  without  getting  out  of 
time  in  their  songs.  We  called  the  place  the 
Rancheria  del  Baile  de  las  Indias. " 

This  place  was  about  five  leagues  from  Point 
Pedernales. 

CARPINTERIA 

Carpinteria  is  the  name  of  a  little  cluster  of 
houses  near  the  shore  about  ten  miles  east  of 
Santa  Barbara.  It  lies  in  a  region  once  densely 
populated  with  natives  of  very  "gentle  and  mild 

lOO 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


disposition."  The  story  of  its  naming  is  told  by 
Father  Crespi,  of  the  Portola  party:  ''Not  very 
far  from  the  town  we  saw  some  springs  of 
asphaltum.  These  Indians  have  many  canoes, 
and  at  that  time  were  constructing  one,  for  which 
reason  the  soldiers  named  this  town  Carpinteria 
(carpenter  shop),  but  I  baptized  it  with  the  name 
of  Sa)i  Roqiie." 

MONTECITO 

Monteciio  (little  hill  or  little  wood),  is  the  name 
of  a  small  village  about  six  miles  from  Santa 
Barbara.  The  country  in  this  vicinity,  through 
its  extraordinary  charm  of  climate  and  scenery, 
has  attracted  a  large  number  of  very  rich  people, 
whose  splendid  country  houses,  in  bizarre  con- 
trast, now  occupy  the  self-same  s})ots  where  the 
Indians  once  raised  their  flimsv  huts  of  straw. 


SANTA  VMVV.  ISLAND 

While  traversing  the  shore  of  Saiila  Barbara 
channel,  the  Portola  expedition  ol'  i  yOy  took  lime 
to  make  tri])s  lo  the  islands  and  bestow  names 

lOI 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


upon  them.  The  island  of  Santa  Cruz  received 
its  name  from  a  rather  trivial  circumstance.  By 
some  chance  the  padres  lost  there  a  staff  which 
bore  a  cross  on  the  end.  They  gave  it  up  as 
irretrievably  lost,  so  were  the  more  pleased  when 
the  Indians  appeared  the  following  day  to  restore 
it.  From  this  they  gave  the  island  the  name  of 
Santa  Cruz  (Holy  Cross). 

RANCHERIA  DE  LA  ESP  ADA 

Of  the  Rancheria  de  la  Espada  (village  of  the 
sword),  Captain  Fages,  of  the  Portola  expedition 
says:  "Two  and  a  half  leagues  northwest  of  Point 
Conception,  another  glen  is  found  with  a  popula- 
tion of  twenty  hearths,  with  250  Indians,  more  or 
less.  The  natives  of  the  settlement  here  are 
extremely  poor  and  starved,  so  that  they  can 
scarcely  live,  being  without  canoes,  in  rugged 
land,  and  short  of  firewood.  While  here  a  soldier 
lost  his  sword,  leaving  it  carelessly  fastened,  so 
that  they  took  it  from  his  belt.  But  the  Indians 
who  saw  this  theft  themselves  ran  in  pursuit  of 
the  thief,  and  deprived  him  of  the  article  in  order 
that  its  owner  might  recover  it."     From  this  the 

s 

102 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


place  received  the  name  of  the  Rancher  la  dc  la 
Espada,  and  the  little  story  is  still  commemor- 
ated in   the  name  of  Espada  Landing. 


MATILIJA 

Matillja  Creek  and  Matilija  Springs,  in  Ventura 
County,  derive  their  name  from  an  Indian  \illage, 
one  of  those  mentioned  in  the  mission  archives. 
The  name  is  best  known  as  applied  to  the  Matilija 
poppy,  that  flower  of  the  gods  which  has  its  nati\T 
habitat  along  the  banks  of  the  creek.  This  giant 
poppy,  by  reason  of  its  extraordinary  size  and 
dehcate  beauty,  has  a  just  claim  to  be  called 
"queen  of  all  California's  wild  flowers,"  as  the 
Secjuoia  is  king  of  her  trees.  It  is  a  perennial 
plant,  of  shrubby  character,  and  grows  wild  in 
the  southern  ])art  of  the  state,  from  ihc  Santa 
Maria  Rixcr  southward,  extending  into  Lower 
California,  where  it  sj)reads  oxer  large  areas,  it 
flourishes  in  particular  luxuriance  in  the  .Matilija 
canyon,  but  the  jxipular  idea  thai  llial  >\)n[  was 
its  only  habitat  is  erroneous.  1  iu'  shrub  reaches 
a  height  of  eight  or  ten  feel,  has  gray-green  foliage, 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


and  bears  splendid,  six-petaled  white  flowers, 
often  six  or  seven  inches  in  diameter,  "of  a  crepe- 
like texture,  pure  glistening  white,  with  bright 
yellow  centers."  "It  not  only  grows  in  fertile 
valleys,  but  seeks  the  seclusion  of  remote  canyons, 
and  nothing  more  magnificent  could  be  imagined 
than  a  steep  canyon-side  covered  with  the  great 
bushy  plants,  thickly  covered  with  the  enormous 
white  flowers." — (Miss  Parsons,  quoted  by  J. 
Burt  Davy,  in  Baileys  Cyclopedia  of  American 
Horticulture.) 

POINT  PEDERNALES 

• 
Captain  Fages,  of  the  Portola  party,  says  of 
this  place:  "Going  two  leagues  through  high 
land,  and  With  a  good  outlook  over  the  sea-coast, 
a  flowing  stream  appears,  with  very  good  water, 
and  near  it  a  poor  settlement  of  only  ten  houses, 
probably  numbering  about  sixty  inhabitants, 
crowded  together.  We  stopped  at  the  place  near 
where  a  strip  or  point  of  land  extends  to  the  sea. 
There  we  gathered  a  multitude  of  flints,  good  for 
fire-arms,  and  so  this  place  is  called  Los  Pedernales 
(the  flints)." 

104 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Point  Pedernales  still  remains  as  the  name  of 
"that  point  of  land  extending  into  the  sea,"  a  few 
miles  north  of  Point  Conception. 

CAMULOS 

Cam  u  I  OS,  also  spelled  Kamulas,  was  the  name 
of  an  Indian  \illage  near  San  Buenaventura. 
This  village  is  among  those  mentioned  in  the 
mission  archives,  and  is  noted  as  the  home  of 
Ramona,  the  heroine  of  Mrs.  Helen  Hunt  Jack- 
son's romance.  The  meaning  of  the  word  Camillas, 
according  to  Professor  A.L.  Kroeber,is  "my  fruit." 

SUPPLEMENU  ARY  LIST 

Los  Alamos  (the  cottonwoods),  is  in  Santa 
Barbara  County,  northwest  of  Santa  Barbara. 
The  alamo  is  a  species  of  p()i)lar  tree  indigenous 
to  California  uiid  widcl}'  spread  throughout  the 
state. 

Ari^iicllo  Point  is  on  the  coast  of  Santa  Barbara 
Count}-,  just  south  of  I'oint  I'cdcriiales.  Argiiello 
is  a  surname,  that  of  a  i)ioiiceT  family,  ol  which 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Jose  Dario  Argiiello  was  the  founder.  "For 
many  years  Don  Jose  was  the  most  prominent, 
influential  and  respected  man  in  Cahfornia." — 
(Bancroft.) 

Argiiello  Point  was  named  by  Vancouver  in 
honor  of  the  Spanish  governor. —  (Mr.  Charles 
B.  Turrill.) 

El  Cojo  (the  lame  one).  This  place,  near  Point 
Conception,  was  so-named  by  the  Spaniards 
because  they  saw  here  an  Indian  chief  who  was 
lame. 

Point  Concepcion,  the  point  at  the  southwestern 
extremity  of  Santa  Barbara  County,  was  so-named 
in  reference  to  the  "immaculate  conception"  of 
the  Virgin. 

Los  Dos  Pueblos  (the  two  towns) ,  is  on  the  coast 
a  few  miles  west  of  Santa  Barbara.  On  October 
1 6,  1542,  the  Cabrillo  expedition  anchored  oppo- 
site two  Indian  vi'lages  here,  and  named  the  place 
Los  Dos  Pueblos.  "Although  these  villages  were 
separated  only  by  a  small  stream,  their  inhabit- 
ants were  of  a  different  race  and  language,  those 
on  one  side  being  short,  thick  and  swarthy,  and 
on  the  other  tall,  slender  and  not  so  dark.  The 
depth  of  the  kitchen  refuse  at  the  site  of  these 

106 


1  H  E  I  R      M  E  A  N  I  N  G     AND      R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


two  towns  indicates  that  these  Indians  had  Uved 
here  since  the  Christian  era  and  were  contem- 
porary with  the  mound  builders."  —  {History  of 
Santa  Barbara  County.) 

Gaviota  (sea-gull),  is  on  the  shore  a  few  miles 
west  of  Santa  Barbara.  Father  Crespi  mentions 
having  given  this  name  to  another  place  further 
down  the  coast:  "We  reached  an  estuary,  on 
whose  border  stood  a  rancheria  of  fifty-two  huts, 
with  three  hundred  people.  I'Or  having  killed  a 
sea-gull  here,  the  soldiers  called  this  j)lace  La  Gav- 
iota, but  1  named  it  San  Luis  Key  dc  Francia.^' 
As  San  Luis  Rcy  it  has  remained  upon  the  maj:). 

Gaviota  Pass  is  an  im})ortant  gap  in  the  Santa 
Inez  range. 

Every  one  who  has  crossed  the  ba\'  of  San 
Francisco  in  the  winter  season  must  have  rejoiced 
in  the  sight  of  the  flying  convoy  of  those  beautiful 
creatures,  the  j^aviotas,  by  which  each  ferry-boat 
is  accompanied. 

Goleta  (schooner),  is  Ihc  nanic  of  a  \illagc  in 
Santa  Barbara  ("ouiitx,  seven  miles  west  of  Santa 
Barbara. 

Guadalupe  (a  Christian  name).  The  town  is 
near  the  northern  border  of  Santa  Barbara  Count}-. 

107 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Lompoc  is  one  of  the  names  of  Indian  villages 
taken  from  the  mission  archives.  It  is  situated 
fifty  miles  northwest  of  Santa  Barbara,  on  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Nojoqui,  in  Santa  Barbara  County,  was  pre- 
sumably the  name  of  an  Indian  village. 

Los  Olivos  (the  olives),  is  in  Santa  Barbara 
County,  on  the  Coast  Line  Railroad. 

La  Piedra  Pintada  (the  painted  rock),  is  about 
eighty  miles  from  Santa  Barbara.  Here  there  was 
a  stone  wigwam,  forty  or  fifty  yards  in  diameter, 
whose  walls  were  covered  with  paintings  in  the 
form  of  halos  and  circles,  with  radiations  from  the 
center. — {History  of  Santa  Barbara  County.) 

Punta  Gorda  (fat  or  broad  point),  is  one  of  the 
points  of  land  running  into  the  sea  from  the  Santa 
Barbara  Coast.    Its  name  indicates  its  shape. 

Punta  de  las  Ritas  (point  of  the  rites),  perhaps 
refers  to  some  religious  ceremony  held  upon  that 
spot. 

Rincon  Point  (corner  point),  is  one  of  the  many 
points  of  land  running  out  from  the  Santa  Barbara 
Coast. 

Point  Sal,  was  named  for  Hermenegi  do  Sal, 
who  was  one  of  the  prominent  figures  in  the  early 

io8 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


history  of  Southern  CaHfornia.  He  was  a  Spanish 
soldier  who  came  to  this  coast  in  1776  with  Anza 
and  his  party  of  colonists.  Sal  filled  many  im- 
portant military  offices.  This  point  was  named  by 
Vancouver  for  this  official,  who  was  at  one  time 
commandante  of  the  presidio  of  San  Francisco, 
in  return  for  signal  courtesies  shown  by  him  in 
1792,  when  he  permitted  Vancouver  to  go  to  the 
mission  of  Santa  Clara,  this  being  the  first  occasion 
when  this  part  of  Spanish  America  was  penetrated 
by  an}'  foreigner. 

Sal  Si  Piiedes  (get  out  if  nou  can).  Several 
places  in  the  state,  one  in  the  Santa  Cruz  Moun- 
tains, another  in  Santa  Barbara  County,  received 
this  name,  so  eloquent  of  the  rough  road  that  the 
Spaniards  sometimes  had  to  travel.  Captain 
Arguello,  in  his  diar\-  of  the  expedition  of  1821, 
refers  to  his  struggles  in  getting  out  of  a  certain 
canyon  in  these  terms:  "On  account  of  its  dilTi- 
cult  situation  it  was  named  Montana  dc  Maltrato 
y  Arroyo  dc  Sal  si  Pucdcs''  (mountain  of  ill-treat- 
ment and  creek  of  get  out  if  you  lan). 

Sanld  Inez  (St.  Agnes),  is  the  name  of  a  ri\er 
in  Santa  Barbara  Count \  which  rises  in  the  coast 
range  and  falls  into  thr  Pacilic    ()(ean  about  ten 

109 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


miles  north  of  Cape  Conception.  The  town  of 
the  same  name  is  situated  on  this  river.  The 
Mission  Santa  Inez  was  founded  September  17, 
1804,  by  Padres  Tapis,  Calzada  and  Gutierrez. 
It  flourished  for  a  time,  but  was  greatly  damaged 
by  an  earthquake  in  181 2,  was  rebuilt  and  damaged 
again  by  the  Indians  in  the  revolt  of  1824,  and  its 
partially  ruined  buildings  still  remain  to  tell  of  a 
vanished  past.  Its  patroness,  St.  Agnes,  was  one 
of  the  four  great  virgin  martyrs  of  the  Latin 
Church.  She  was  a  Roman  maiden  of  great 
beauty,  and  was  condemned  to  death  by  the  sword, 
by  the  Prefect  Sempronius,  in  revenge  for  her 
refusal  to  marry  his  son,  on  the  ground  that  she 
was  "already  afhanced  to  a  husband  whom  she 
loved,  meaning  Jesus."  Before  causing  her  death 
Sempronius  attempted  to  procure  her  dishonor 
by  having  her  conveyed  to  a  house  of  infamy, 
"but  when  she  prayed  to  Christ  that  she  might 
not  be  dishonored,  she  saw  before  her  a  shining 
white  garment  which  she  put  on  with  joy,  and  the 
room  was  filled  with  great  light." 

Santa  Maria  (St.  Mary),  so-named  in  honor  of 
the  mother  of  Christ,  is  in  Santa  Barbara  County, 
near  the  Santa  Maria  River. 


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THEIR     M  E  A  N  I  N  G      AND      ROM  A  N  C  E 


Santa  Paula  (St,  Paula),  is  in  Ventura  County, 
thirty-five  miles  west  of  San  Fernando,  on  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad.  "St.  Paula  was  a 
noble  Roman  matron,  a  pupil  and  disciple  of  St. 
Jerome.  Though  descended  from  the  Scipios  and 
the  Gracchi,  and  accustomed  to  luxurious  self- 
indulgence,  she  preferred  to  follow  her  saintly 
teacher  to  Bethlehem  and  devote  herself  to  a  relig- 
ious life.  She  built  a  monastery,  a  hospital,  and 
three  nunneries  at  Bethlehem." — (Stories  of  the 
Saints.) 

Serena  (serene),  a  place  on  the  shore  near  Santa 
Barbara,  whose  placid  charm  well  befits  its  name. 

Ventura  (fortune),  a  town  near  the  southeastern 
end  of  the  Santa  Barbara  channel. 


"3 


THE  SAN  LUIS  OBISPO 
GROUP 


VI 


THE  SAN  LUIS  OBISPO  GROUP 


San  Luis  Obispo  (St.  Louis  the  Bishop).  Trav- 
elers on  the  Coast  Line,  whose  attention  is  at- 
tracted to  the  smiling  vale  where  the  pretty  town 
of  San  Luis  Obispo  nestles  in  the  hollow  of  the 
hills,  about  eight  miles  from  the  ocean  and  ninety 
to  the  northwest  of  Santa  Barbara,  will  doubtless 
be  pleased  to  learn  something  of  its  history.  So 
peaceful  is  the  aspect  of  the  valley  at  this  time 
that  it  comes  rather  as  a  surj^rise  to  read,  in  the 
diaries  of  the  Portola  expedition  of  1769,  stories 
of  fierce  fights  with  bears,  which  then  haunted 
this  place  in  such  numbers  that  the  explorers  gave 
it  the  name  of  La  Canada  de  los  Osos  (the  glen  of 
the  bears).  From  Father  Crespi  we  get  some 
account  of  the  luimhcrs  and  ferocity  of  these 
animals:  "In  this  glen  we  saw  troops  of  bears, 
which  ha\c  the  ground  ploughed  u]-)  anfl  full  of 
scratches  which  lluy  makf  in  search  ol  ihr  roots 
that  form  tlu'ir  food.  Ui)on  these  roots,  of  whii  h 
there  are  many  of  a  good  savor  and   taste,   the 


1 1 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


Gentiles  (unbaptized  Indians),  also  live.  The 
soldiers,  who  went  out  to  hunt,  succeeded  in  kill- 
ing one  bear  with  gun-shots,  and  experienced  the 
ferocity  of  these  animals.  Upon  feeling  them- 
selves wounded  they  attack  the  hunter  at  full 
speed,  and  he  can  only  escape  by  using  the  greatest 
dexterity.  They  do  not  yield  except  when  the 
shot  succeeds  in  reaching  the  head  or  heart.  The 
one  that  the  soldiers  killed  received  nine  balls 
before  falling,  and  did  not  fall  until  one  struck 
him  in  the  head." 

Captain  Fages,  of  the  same  expedition,  gives  a 
similar  account  "  ....  a  spacious  glen 
with  a  rivulet  of  very  good  water  .... 
In  said  glen  they  saw  whole  herds  of  bears,  which 
have  ploughed  up  all  the  ground,  where  they  dug 
to  seek  their  livelihood  from  the  roots  that  it 
produces.  They  are  ferocious  brutes,  and  of  very 
difficult  hunting,  throwing  themselves  with  in- 
credible speed  and  anger  upon  the  hunter,  who 
only  escapes  by  means  of  a  swift  horse.  They  do 
not  yield  to  the  shot  unless  it  be  in  the  head  or 
heart." 

Miguel  Costanso,  of  the  same  party,  says: 
"In  the  afternoon,  as  they  had  seen  many  tracks 

ii8 


THEIR      MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


of  bears,  six  soldiers  went  out  hunting  on  horse- 
back, and  succeeded  in  shooting  one  bear.  It 
was  an  enormous  animal;  it  measured  fourteen 
palms  from  the  sole  of  the  feet  to  the  top  of  its 
head;  its  feet  were  more  than  a  foot  long;  and  it 
must  have  weighed  over  375  pounds.  We  ate 
the  flesh  and  found  it  savory  and  good." — 
Translation  edited  by  Frederick  J.  Teggart.) 

At  a  later  date,  when  the  mission  at  IMonterey 
was  in  serious  danger  of  a  famine,  Captain  Pages 
called  to  mind  the  experiences  in  the  Canada  de 
los  Osos,  and  headed  a  hunting  expedition  to  that 
region  for  the  purpose  of  securing  a  supply  of 
bear  meat.  The  party  succeeded  in  killing  a 
considerable  number  of  the  animals,  and  were 
thus  able  to  relieve  the  scarcity  at  Monterey. 
The  name  of  Los  Osos  (the  bears),  is  still  applied 
to  a  valle>-  in  the  vicinity  of  San  Luis  Obispo. 

Finding  ihis  si)()t  highl\-  suitable  for  a  settle- 
ment, in  the  matters  of  climate,  arable  land  and 
water,  points  always  carefull}'  considered  b\-  the 
padres,  liu'  mission  of  San  Luis  Obispo  dc  Tolosa 
(St.  Louis  the  Lisho])  of  Toulouse),  was  t'slab- 
lished  by  Padre  Serra,  Sci)tenil)er  t,  1772,  in  /.(/ 
Canada  dc  los  Osos.     In  the  usual  course  ol  e\enLs, 


121 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


the  name  of  the  mission  was  extended  to  the  town 
and  finally  to  the  county. 

The  story  of  the  patron  saint  of  this  mission 
runs  as  follows:  "St.  Louis  of  Toulouse  was  the 
nephew  of  St.  Louis  King  of  France,  and  son  of 
the  King  of  Naples  and  Sicily.  Like  his  kingly 
uncle-saint,  he  was  piously  reared  by  his  mother. 
When  he  was  but  fourteen,  his  father,  being  made 
prisoner  by  the  King  of  Aragon,  gave  Louis  and 
his  brother  as  hostages.  He  became  wearied  of 
everything  but  religion,  and  in  1294,  when  he 
was  made  free,  he  gave  all  his  royal  rights  to  his 
brother  Robert,  and  became  a  monk  of  the  Order 
of  St.  Francis.  He  was  then  twenty-two  years 
old.  Soon  he  was  made  Bishop  of  Toulouse; 
and  he  set  out,  bare-footed  and  clothed  as  a  friar, 
to  take  his  new  office.  He  went  into  Provence 
on  a  charitable  mission,  and  died  at  the  castle 
of  Brignolles,  where  he  was  born.  He  was  first 
buried  at  Marseilles,  then  removed  to  Valencia, 
where  he  was  enshrined.  His  pictures  represent 
him  as  young,  beardless,  and  of  gentle  face. 
He  has  the  fleur-de-lys  embroidered  on  his 
cope,  or  on  some  part  of  his  dress.  The  crown 
which  he  gave  away   lies   at   his   feet,  while  he 

122 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


wears  the    mitre   of    a   bishop." — (Stories  of  the 
Saints.) 

SAN  MIGUEL 

San  Miguel  (St.  Michael),  situated  about  forty- 
seven  miles  northeast  of  San  Luis  Obispo,  is  the 
site  of  Mission  San  Miguel,  founded  July  25, 
1797,  by  Padres  Lasuen  and  Sitjar.\  It  is  said  that 
"the  lands  of  this  mission  extended  from  the 
Tulares  on  the  east  to  the  sea  on  the  west,  and 
from  the  north  boundary  of  the  San  Luis  Obispo 
district  to  the  south  line  of  San  Antonio.  It  had 
its  work-shops  and  little  factories  where  the  good 
padres  taught  the  Indians  the  useful  arts.  Its 
property  was  confiscated  in  1836,  and  sold  at 
auction  in  1846." 

St.  Michael,  in  whose  honor  this  mission  was 
named,  '^is  regarded  as  the  first  and  mightiest 
of  all  created  spirits.  He  it  was  whom  (jod  com- 
missioned to  expel  Satan  and  the  rebelHous  angels 
from  Heaven.  His  office  now  is  believed  to  he 
two-fold,  including  that  of  patron  saint  of  the 
Church  on  earth,  and  Lord  of  the  souls  of  the 
dead;  presenting  the  good   to   (iod   and   sending 


PLACE     NAMES     OF      CALIFORNIA 


the  evil  and  wicked  away  to  torment."  In  pic- 
tures St.  Michael  is  always  represented  as  young 
and  beautiful,  sometimes  as  the  Lord  of  souls  in 
pictures  of  death,  sometimes  in  armor  as  the 
conqueror  of  Satan. 


PASO  DE  ROBLES 

Paso  de  Robles  (pass  of  the  oaks),  known  far 
and  wide  for  its  hot  sulphur  springs,  where  the 
sick  of  many  lands  find  surcease  from  their  pain, 
is  situated  twenty-nine  miles  north  of  San  Luis 
Obispo.  It  was  named  for  the  reason  indicated 
by  Father  Crespi,  who  says:  "  ....  in 
a  valley  in  the  hollow  of  the  Santa  Lucia  Moun- 
tains, called  Los  Robles,  for  the  great  abundance 
of  these  trees  with  which  it  is  populated." 

It  should  be  explained  that  the  roble  is  not  the 
evergreen,  or  live-oak,  which  is  called  encino.  At 
Leland  Stanford  Jr.  University  the  names  of  these 
two  species  of  oaks  have  been  rathei  poetically 
used  for  the  students'  dormitories, — Encina  Hall 
for  the  men,  and  Roble  Hall  for  the  women. 


124 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


SUPPLEMENTARY  LIST 

Arroyo  Grande  (big  creek),  a  village  in  San  Luis 
Obispo  County,  iifteen  miles  southeast  of  San 
Luis  Obispo. 

Atascadero  (boggy  ground,  quagmire). 

Avenal  (a  field  sowti  with  oats). 

BiicJwn  (big  craw),  is  the  name  of  the  point 
on  the  coast  directly  opposite  the  town  of  San 
Luis  Obispo,  and  has  a  significance  not  altogether 
agreeable.  The  Spanish  soldiers  called  the  place 
Buchon  from  an  Indian  in  the  neighborhood  who 
was  the  unfortunate  possessor  of  an  enormous 
goitre,  which  was  so  large  thai  it  liung  down  upon 
his  breast. 

Canada  del  Osito  (glen  of  the  little  bear),  so- 
called  because  some  Indians  from  the  mountains 
offered  the  Sj^aniards  a  present  of  a  bear  cub. 

Cayucos  is  the  name  of  ;i  \illage  in  San  Luis 
Obispo  (\)unty,  eighteen  miles  northwest  of  San 
Luis  ()bis])().  'i'lu'  word  myiico  is  i)robably  Indian 
in  origin,  and  is  used  in  different  senses  in  different 
parts  of  America,  in  Venezuela  it  means  a  small 
lishing  boat,  Ijuilt   In  hold  mily  oiu'  ])erson,  while 

127 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


in  Cuba  it  means  "head."  As  this  place  is  on  the 
shore,  it  was  probably  named  in  reference  to 
Indian  fishing  skiffs. 

Cholame  (the  name  of  an  Indian  tribe). 

Cuesta  (hill,  mount,  ridge,  also  family  name). 

Esteros  (estuaries,  creeks  into  which  the  tide 
flows  at  flood  time). 

Ester 0  Point  (estuary  point). 

Estrella  (star). 

Lopez  (a  surname). 

Morro  (headland,  bluff).  Morro  is  the  name  of 
a  hamlet  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County,  on  the 
shore,  twelve  miles  northwest  of  San  Luis  Obispo, 

Nacimiento  (birth).  This  word  is  generally 
used  by  the  Spaniards  in  the  sense  of  the  birth 
of  Christ. 

Los  Osos  (the  bears). 

Piedras  Blancas  (white  stones,  or  rocks),  the 
name  of  a  point  on  the  coast. 

Pismo,  an  Indian  word  said  to  mean  "place  of 
fish",  but  this  definition  is  not  based  upon 
scientific  authority, 

Pozo  (well,  or  pool),  is  the  name  of  a  village  in 
San  Luis  Obispo  County. 

San  Simeon   (St.   Simeon),   is  the  name  of  a 

128 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


village  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County,  on  the  shore 
twenty  miles  south  of  Jolon.  It  has  a  good  harbor. 
St.  Simeon,  the  patron  saint  of  this  place,  was  one 
of  the  apostles,  and  is  called  "the  Prophet" 
because  he  was  the  translator  of  the  book  of 
Isaiah  in  which  is  made  the  prophecy  "Behold  a 
virgin  shall  conceive." 

St.  Simeon  Stylites,  who  set  the  fashion  of  the 
pillar-hermits,  spent  almost  half  of  the  fifth 
century  on  the  summit  of  a  column  sixty  feet  in 
height,  drawing  up  his  meager  food  and  water 
in  a  pail  which  he  lowered  for  the  purpose.  This 
peculiar  and  apparently  senseless  mode  of  life 
has  been  partially  justified  by  the  reflection  that 
the  notoriety  he  thus  gained  brought  curious 
crowds  of  pagans  about  his  pillar,  to  whom  he 
was  enabled  to  preach  the  Christian  doctrine. 
It  is  said  that  he  converted  many  thousands  of  tin- 
nomadic    Saracen    tribes    to    Christianity. 

Santa  Lucia  (St.  Lucy),  is  the  name  of  a  section 
of  the  coast  range  of  mountains  in  the  central 
part  of  the  state.  St.  Lucy  is  thr  protectress 
against  all  diseases  of  the  eye,  and  is  tlir  patroness 
of   the   laboring  poor. 

Santa  Margarita  (St.  Margaret),  is  the  nanu'  of 

129 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


a  town  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County,  on  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad.  St.  Margaret  is  the  patroness 
who  presides  over  births. 


130 


IN  THE 
^^  JNEIGHBORHOOD  OF 
^^       MONTEREY 


■~-~^f^^ 


••'>^3R^  »  ,•.. 


-J»-L_.. 


n     "» 


VTI 
T\  THE  NEIGHBORHOOD  OE  ^[ONTEREY 

Monterey.  "Llegamos  a  este  puerto  dc  Monterey 
a  1 6  de  Diciemhre,  1602  a  las  siete  de  la  noche^' 
(We  arrived  at  this  port  of  Monterey  on  the  six- 
teenth of  December,  1602,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the 
evening). — (From  the  diar>-  of  Sebastian  Viz- 
caino.) 

When  Vizcaino  sailed  into  the  beautiful  blue 
bay  of  Monterey,  and  looked  about  him  at  tlie 
ring  of  hills,  dark  with  the  dense  growth  of  i)ines 
covering  them  from  summit  to  base,  he  became 
at  once  enamored  with  the  place,  and  wrote 
enthusiastically  to  his  S])anish  Majesty  concern- 
ing it.  In  a  letter  of  the  date  of  May  23,  1603, 
he  says:  ''Among  the  ports  of  most  importance 
which  I  found  was  one  in  latitude  37,  which  I 
named  Monterrey.  As  I  wrote  to  \<)ur  majesty 
from  there  on  the  twenty-eighth  of  Septemhtr 
of  the  said  year,  it  is  all  that  can  be  desired  for 
the  conwnience  and  sea-poil  ol"  the  shi])S  ot  the 
rhilip])ine  line,  whence  they  come  to  exi)lore  this 

U3 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


coast.  The  port  is  sheltered  from  all  winds,  and 
has  on  the  shore  many  pines  to  supply  the  ships 
with  masts  of  any  size  that  they  may  wish,  and 
also  live-oaks,  oaks,  rosemary,  rock-roses,  roses 
of  Alexandria,  good  hunting  of  rabbits,  hares, 
partridges  and  flying  birds  of  different  sorts. 
The  land  is  of  mild  temperature,  and  of  good 
waters,  and  very  fertile,  judging  by  the  luxuriant 
growth  of  the  trees  and  plants,  for  I  saw  some 
fruits  from  them,  particularly  of  chestnuts  and 
acorns,  larger  than  those  of  Spain;  and  it  is  well- 
populated  with  people,  whose  disposition  I  saw 
to  be  soft,  gentle,  docile,  and  very  fit  to  be  reduced 
to  the  Holy  Church.  Their  food  is  of  many  and 
various  seeds  that  they  have  and  also  wild  game, 
such  as  deer,  some  of  which  are  larger  than  cows, 
also  bears,  and  cattle  and  buffalo,  and  many 
others.  The  Indians  are  of  good  body,  white  of 
countenance,  and  the  women  somewhat  smaller, 
and  well-favored.  Their  dress  is  of  the  people 
of  the  beach,  of  the  skins  of  seals,  of  which  there 
are  an  abundance,  which  they  tan  and  prepare 
better  than  in  Spain." 

At  first  thought  it  would  seem  that  Vizcaino 
must  have  been  in  error  about  finding  buffalo 

134 


c 


X 


-•3      :/^ 


3 


O 
o 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


at  Monterey,  but  inxestigation  shows  that  in 
1530  those  animals  "ranged  through  what  is  now 
New  Mexico,  Utah,  Oregon,  Washington,  and 
British  Columbia." — (Handbook  of  American 
Indians.)  Oregon  is  not  so  far  away  but  that 
scattering  herds  may  have  wandered  as  far  as 
Monterey,  and  that  Vizcaino  actually  saw  them 
there.  It  has  been  suggested,  also,  that  he  may 
have  mistaken  the  tracks  of  the  great  elk  for 
those  of  buffalo.  In  calHng  the  Indians  "white," 
he  was,  no  doubt,  speaking  comparatively.  Ac- 
cording to  the  diaries  of  the  Spaniards,  the  natives 
of  different  sections  varied  considerably  in  com- 
plexion. What  he  meant  by  "chestnuts"  can 
only  be  conjectured,  since  that  tree  is  not 
indigenous  to  Monterey,  but  it  is  ]")Ossible  that 
the  nut  of  the  wild  buck-eye,  which  resembles  the 
chestnut  in  size  and  shape,  may  have  been  mis- 
taken for  it  by  the  Spaniards. 

Vizcaino  named  the  port  in  honor  of  (laspar  de 
Ziiniga,  Count  of  Monterey,  at  that  time  Viceroy 
of  Mexico.  The  word  itself,  whose  literal  meaning 
is  "the  King's  wood,"  or  "the  King's  mountain," 
since  montc  may  be  used  in  either  sense,  was  for- 
merly si)elled  Monterrey,  Montere\-, or  Monte  Rey. 

137 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


When  Father  Serra  arrived  at  Monterey  in 
1770,  he  decided  to  make  it  the  headquarters  of 
all  the  California  missions,  and  it  was  there  that 
the  rest  of  his  life  was  spent,  excepting  the  periods 
of  absence  required  in  visiting  the  other  missions, 
and  in  one  visit  to  Mexico.  Very  shortly  after 
the  landing  of  the  party  in  a  little  cove  at  the 
edge  of  the  present  town,  it  was  decided  that  not 
enough  arable  land  existed  at  that  point  for  the 
support  of  the  mission,  so  the  religious  estab- 
lishment was  removed  to  Carmel  Bay,  while  the 
Presidio  and  its  chapel  remained  at  Monterey. 

The  Mission  San  Carlos  Borromeo  (St.  Charles 
Borromeo),  was  founded  June  3,  1770,  near  the 
shore  of  the  charming  little  bay  of  Carmel,  about 
seven  miles  from  Monterey.  This  church,  now 
in  an  excellent  state  of  repair,  through  the  efforts 
of  the  late  Father  Angelo  Casanova,  is  distin- 
guished above  all  the  others,  "for  under  its  altar 
lies  buried  all  that  is  mortal  of  the  remains  of  its 
venerable    founder,    Junipero    Serra." 

Its  patron  saint,  St.  Charles  Borromeo,  belonged 
to  a  noble  family  of  Lombardy.  Being  a  second 
son,  he  was  dedicated  to  the  church  at  a  very 
early  age,  and  soon  rose  to  distinction,  receiving 

138 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


the  cardinal's  hat  at  twenty-three.  The  death 
of  his  elder  brother  placed  the  family  fortune 
at  his  disposal,  but  he  gave  it  all  in  charity, 
reserving  for  himself  merely  enough  for  bread  and 
water,  and  straw  on  which  to  sleep.  In  public 
he  gave  feasts,  but  never  partook  of  them  himself. 
At  the  time  of  the  plague  in  Milan,  when  all 
others  fled  from  the  city,  he  remained  to  attend 
the  sick.  His  remains  repose  in  a  rich  shrine  in 
that  city. 

SAxN  ANTONIO 

At  San  Antonio  (St.  Anthonyj,  in  Monterey 
County,  between  Kings  City  and  Jolon,  Father 
Serra  established  the  mission  of  San  Antonio  de 
Padua,  July  14,  1771.  In  connection  with  its 
establishment,  Palou  tells  a  story  that  brings  out 
one  of  the  most  marked  characteristics  of  the 
venerable  founder, — his  ardent  enthusiasm: 
"They  [the  founding  j)art\']  de])arted  for  the 
Santa  Lucia  Mountains,  taking  j)riests  for  the 
new  mission,  the  rcfjuired  escort  of  soldiers,  and 
all  necessaries.  'j'\vcnt\ -five  leagues  south-south- 
east from  Monterey,  they  arrixed  at   tin-  hollow 

141 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


of  this  ridge,  where  they  found  a  great  Canada, 
which  they  called  Robles  (oaks),  from  the  great 
number  of  those  trees.  Finding  a  level  plain  in 
the  same  Canada,  bordering  on  a  river  which  they 
called  San  Antonio,  and  which  they  thought  to 
be  a  good  site,  for  the  good  flow  of  water,  even  in 
the  dry  month  of  July,  which  could  be  conducted 
to  the  lands  without  difficulty,  all  agreed  upon 
the  choice  of  this  spot.  Serra  ordered  the  mules 
to  be  unloaded,  and  the  bells  to  be  hung  up  on  the 
branch  of  a  tree.  As  soon  as  they  were  hung  up, 
he  began  to  ring  them,  crying  out,  'Ho!  Gentiles, 
come,  come  to  the  Holy  Church,  come  to  receive 
the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ!'"  One  of  the  other 
priests  remonstrated  with  him,  saying  it  was  idle 
to  ring  the  bells  in  the  absence  of  the  gentiles, 
but  Serra  said,  "Let  me  ring,  let  me  relieve  my 
heart,  so  that  all  the  wild  people  in  this  mountain 
range  may  hear!"  It  happened  that  some  natives 
were  attracted  by  the  ringing  of  the  bells,  and 
came  to  witness  the  first  mass,  which  Serra  re- 
garded as  a  good  augury. 

St.  Anthony  of  Padua,  the  patron  of  this  place, 
was  a  Portuguese  by  birth,  who  entered  the  Fran- 
ciscan Order.     He  went  as  a  missionary  to  the 

142 


H 

p— ( 

O 

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O 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Moors,  but  was  compelled  by  illness  to  return  to 
Europe,  where  he  had  great  success  in  Italy  and 
France  as  a  preacher.  Among  many  miracles 
accredited  to  him  is  the  one  thus  related:  "WTien 
preaching  at  the  funeral  of  a  very  rich  man,  St. 
Anthony  denounced  his  love  of  money,  and 
exclaimed,  'His  heart  is  buried  in  his  treasure 
chest;  go  seek  it  there  and  you  will  find  it.'  The 
friends  of  the  man  broke  open  the  chest,  and  to 
their  surprise,  found  the  heart;  they  then 
examined  his  body  and  found  that  his  heart  was 
indeed  wanting." — (Stories  of  the  Saints.) 


POINT  CYPRESS 

La  Piinta  de  Jos  Ciprcses  (Point  C\press),  is 
the  home  of  those  wonderful  trees,  twisted  and 
gnarled  into  a  thousand  fantastic  shapes  by  their 
age-long  struggle  against  the  <Kean  winds,  which 
furnish  yet  another  jiroof  of  the  part  played  1)\- 
California  in  the  preservation  of  tlie  rare  and  the 
unique,  for  this  species  of  coniferous  tree  is  said 
to  be  confined  to  that  region,  not  occurring  in 
any  other  part  of  tlie  world. 

145 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


The  following  interesting  paragraph  on  these 
trees  is  quoted  from  The  Trees  of  Calif  or  nia,  by 
Willis  Linn  Jepsen,  Asst.  Professor  of  Dendrology 
in  the  University  of  California:  "Cupressus  Macro- 
carpa  is  limited  to  two  localities  on  the  ocean  shore 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Carmel  river  near  Monterey. 
The  Cypress  Point  grove  extends  along  the  cliffs 
and  low  blufYs  from  Pescadero  Point  to  Cypress 
Point,  a  distance  of  two  miles,  reaching  inland 
about  one-eighth  of  a  mile.  The  Point  Lobos 
grove  is  much  smaller.  The  trees  are  scattered 
over  the  summits  of  two  headlands,  and  cling  to 
the  edges  of  the  cliffs,  where  on  account  of  the 
erosive  action  of  the  ocean,  they  are  occasionally 
under-mined  and  fall  into  the  sea.  Monterey 
Cypress  is  most  interesting  for  its  remarkably 
restricted  natural  range  and  the  exceedingly 
picturesque  outlines  characteristic  of  the  trees 
growing  on  the  ocean  shore.  As  a  result  of  their 
struggle  with  violent  storms  from  the  Pacific 
Ocean  which  break  on  the  unprotected  cliffs  and 
headlands  of  Cypress  Point  and  Point  Lobos, 
they  present  a  variety  and  singularity  of  form 
which  is  obviously  connected  with  their  exposed 
habitat,  and  lends  a  never-failing  interest  to  these 

146 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


two  narrow  localities.  Of  the  highly  picturesque 
trees,  the  most  common  t^pe  is  that  with  long 
irregular  arms.  Such  trees  recall  most  strikingly 
the  classical  pictures  of  the  Cedars  of  Lebanon. 
Monterey  Cypress  is  of  course  a  genuine  cypress 
and  Lebanon  Cedar  a  genuine  cedar;  the  two  do 
not  even  belong  to  the  same  family  of  conifers. 
Vet  the  popular  story  that  the  two  are  the  same 
makes  so  strong  an  appeal  to  the  imagination  of 
the  tourist  at  Monterey  that  the  guides  and  pro- 
moters in  the  region  will  doubtless  never  cease  to 
disseminate  it.  As  a  consequence  the  error  goes 
into  the  daily  press  and  the  magazines,  and  is 
evidently  destined  to  flourish  in  perennial  green- 
ness under  the  guise  of  fact.  The  wide  dissemina- 
tion of  this  fiction  is  all  the  more  remarkable  in 
that  in  the  case  of  all  other  unique  features  of  the 
state,  such  as  the  Sequoias  and  the  Yosemite,  our 
Californians  have  evinced  a  remarkable  pride  in 
their  possession,  without  thought  of  inventing  a 
(iu])Hcation  of  th(>m  elsewhere  .... 
The  matter  of  the  age  of  these  trees  has  been  much 
exaggerated.  It  is  a  tree  of  rapid  growth,  and  the 
older  specimens  are  ])robably  not  more  than  200 
or  ,:^oo  years  old." 

147 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


The  above  paragraph,  quoted  from  a  writer 
acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the  best  authorities 
on  the  trees  of  Cahfornia,  is  given  here  in  full,  in 
the  hope  of  correcting  these  two  common  errors 
concerning  the  Monterey  Cypress, — the  one  that 
it  is  identical  with  the  Cedar  of  Lebanon,  the 
other,  an  exaggerated  notion  of  the  great  age  of 
some  of  the  trees.  As  Professor  Jepsen  justly 
remarks,  the  truth  in  this  case  is  a  greater  matter 
for  pride  than  the  fiction. 


POINT  PINOS 

La  Punta  de  Pinos  (the  point  of  pines),  is  situ- 
ated a  few  miles  from  Monterey,  just  beyond 
Pacific  Grove.  It  is  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
points  on  the  coast,  and  is  the  location  of  one  of 
the    government    light-houses. 


SALINAS 

When  the  Portola  expedition  of  1769  arrived 
at  the  Salinas  River,  they  made  the  first  of  the 
series  of  errors  which  caused  them  to  pass  by  the 

148 


ON  TIIK  SHORE  XKAR   l.\   I'lMA    Dl-;   l.OS   C  irKi;SKS. 

"'I'lu'  lioniL'  of  those  won(l(.-rliil  trees,    twisted  into  a  tliousaiul 
fantastic  shapes  by  tlieir  age-Ion^;  strll^^Kk• 
with  the  ocean  winds." 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


bay  of  Monterey  without  recognizing  it,  for  they 
mistook  this  stream  for  the  Carmel.  The  Salinas 
(salt  marshes),  so-called  for  the  chain  of  salt- 
water ponds  lying  along  its  course,  was  known  by 
various  names  before  a  permanent  one  became 
attached  to  it,  appearing  at  different  times  as 
El  Rio  Elzeario,  Santa  Delfina,  and  El  Rio  de 
Monterey. 

The  town  of  Salinas  is  the  countv-seat  of 
Monterey  County  and  is  situated  about  eighteen 
miles  east  of  Monterey,  in  the  heart  of  an  im- 
portant agricultural,  dairying,  and  sugar-beet 
district. 

SOLEDAD 

Soledad  (solitude),  in  Monterey  County,  143 
miles  southeast  of  San  Francisco,  is  dcscri])cd  as 
"a  very  dry  plain,  witli  few  trees,  swe])l  b\'  I'lcrce 
winds  and  dust  storms  in  summer."  No  wonder 
they  called  it  Soledad, —  Lonesometown  1 

Yet  those  same  dry  ])lains  j)roved  to  l)c  of 
sufficient  tVrlilily  to  warrant  the  establishment, 
in  i7()i,  of  the  mission  of  Xurslrd  Scfiora  dr  la 
Soledad,  freely  translated  as  "Our   Ladx    of  Sor- 

1^1 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


rows,"  which  became  the  center  of  a  large  and 
prosperous  Indian  community.  The  buildings  of 
the  mission  have  now  fallen  into  almost  complete 
decay. 

PAJARO 

Pdjaro  (bird),  a  town  in  Monterey  County,  on 
the  Pajaro  River,  which  rises  on  the  slope  of  the 
Coast  Range,  and  flows  westerly,  falling  into 
Monterey  Bay,  derives  its  name  from  a  circum- 
stance told  in  the  diary  of  the  faithful  Father 
Crespi:  "We  saw  in  this  place  a  bird,  which  the 
Gentiles  (unbaptized  Indians),  had  killed  and 
stuffed  with  straw,  and  which  appeared  to  some 
[of  the  party]  to  be  a  royal  eagle ;  it  was  measured 
from  tip  to  tip  of  the  wings,  and  was  found  to 
measure  eleven  palms  (nine  feet  and  three  inches) , 
for  which  reason  the  soldiers  called  the  place 
El  Rio  del  Pdjaro.^''  The  scream  of  the  eagle 
may  still  be  heard  in  the  more  remote  parts  of 
the  Santa  Cruz  Mountains,  where  the  great  birds 
are  occasionally  seen  circling  far  over-head,  or 
perched  in  the  tops  of  the  tallest  trees. 


152 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


SANTA  CRUZ 

Santa  Cruz  (holy  cross),  the  well-known  sea- 
side resort  lying  at  the  northern  hook  of  the  great 
curve  that  forms  Monterey  Bay,  was  named  by 
the  Portola  expedition,  as  thus  described  by 
Father  Crespi:  "We  camped  on  the  north  side 
of  the  river  [San  Lorenzo] ,  and  we  had  a  great 
deal  of  work  to  cut  down  trees  to  open  a  little 
passage  for  our  beasts  ....  Not  far 
from  the  river  we  saw  a  fertile  spot  where  the  grass 
was  not  burnt,  and  it  was  a  pleasure  to  sec  the 
pasture  and  the  variety  of  herbs  and  rose-bushes 
of  Castile."  The  next  day  they  moved  on  again, 
and  the  diary  continues:  "After  proceeding 
about  five  hundred  steps,  we  passed  a  large 
stream  of  running  water,  which  has  its  source 
among  some  high  hills  and  passes  through  some 
great  table-  lands  of  good  soil,  that  nia\  casil\-  be 
irrigated  by  the  waters  of  the  said  creek.  This 
creek  was  named  Saula  Criiz.'^ 

A  mission  was  established  at  this  i)lace  by 
Padres  Salazar  and  Lopez,  Sei)tember  25,  1791, 
but  the  buildings  finally  fell  into  a  ruinous  con- 

153 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNI|A 


dition,  and  were  removed  to  give  place  to  the 
modern  church  which  now  stands  upon  the 
original  site. 

SAN  JUAN  BAUTISTA 

San  Juan  Bautista  (St.  John  the  Baptist),  has 
suffered  mutilation  by  the  dropping  of  its  last 
part,  and  usually  appears  as  San  Juan.  San  Juan 
is  a  small  town  in  San  Benito  County,  in  a  fertile 
valley  on  the  San  Benito  River,  forty-four  miles 
southeast  of  San  Jose.  At  this  place  the  mission 
of  San  Juan  Bautista  was  founded,  June  24,  1797. 
Although  this  mission  passed  through  some 
strenuous  experiences,  and  was  twice  attacked 
by  the  Indians,  and  somewhat  damaged  by  re- 
peated earthquakes  in  1800,  it  is  still  moderately 
well  preserved. 

SUPPLEMENTARY  LIST 

Agua  Amargosa  (bitter  water),  a  place  in  San 
Benito  County  now  known  by  its  English  trans- 
lation, "Bitter  Water,"  and  so-called  from  mineral 
springs. 

154 


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THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


Am  Neuvo  (new  year),  is  the  name  of  a  prom- 
inent cape  running  out  from  the  shore  of  Santa 
Cruz  County,  where  one  of  the  coast  Hght-houses 
is  situated.  It  received  its  name  from  the  day  of 
its  discovery. 

Arroyo  Seco  (dry  creek).  The  Arroyo  Seco, 
rising  in  the  Santa  Lucia  Range  and  flowing 
northeasterly  into  the  Salinas  River,  is  probably 
the  most  remarkable  example  of  terrace  formation 
to  be  found  among  the  streams  of  the  state. 

There  are  other  Arroyo  Secos  in  the  state,  one 
near  Los  Angeles  which  is  very  striking  in  its 
color  effects. 

Blanco  (white),  is  a  town  in  Monterey  County 
which  may  have  received  its  name  from  Thomas 
B.  Blanco,  a  pioneer  and  grantee  of  land  in  that 
county. 

Canada  Scgiinda  (second  valley). 

Ccrro  del  Vcnado  (hill  of  the  deer). 

Chualar  is  a  village  in  Monterey  County,  in 
the  Salinas  valley,  128  miles  southeast  of  San 
Francisco,  The  chiial  is  a  wild  i)lant  of  Cali- 
fornia,— pig- weed  or  goose-foot, —  and  chualar 
is  a  spot  abounding  in   chual  ])lants. 

Corral  (yard,  enclosed  place).     On  October  11, 


0/ 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


1769,  the  Portola  party  stopped  at  a  place  about 
a  league  from  the  Pajaro  River,  where  they  con- 
structed a  fence  between  a  lake  and  a  low  hill,  in 
order  to  keep  the  animals  secure  at  night  without 
the  need  of  many  watchmen.  Palou,  in  his 
Life  of  Sen  a,  says:  "The  first  expedition  called 
this  place  the  Corral,  on  account  of  having  built 
there,  with  some  sticks  nailed  together,  a  pasture 
in  the  manner  of  a  yard,  in  order  to  keep  the 
animals  safe  at  night.  This  was  of  great  assist- 
ance, for  there  were  so  many  sick  that  there  were 
not  enough  [people]  to  guard  the  animals."  In 
different  parts  of  the  state  there  were  many 
Corrals  and  Corralitos  (little  yards).  Sometimes 
the  enclosing  fence  was  made  of  stones,  when 
more  convenient,  and  the  enclosure  was  then 
called  Corral  de  Piedra  (stone  corral) ;  sometimes 
a  barricade  of  earth  was  thrown  up,  and  it  was 
then  called  Corral  de  Tierra  (earth  corral).  Corral 
de  Tierra  is  the  name  of  a  well-known  ranch  near 
Monterey.  In  the  days  of  old,  many  a  joyous 
merienda  (picnic)  and  barbecue  was  held  at  the 
Corral  de  Tierra  Rancho.  Corralitos  (little  cor- 
rals), is  in  Santa  Cruz  County,  fourteen  miles 
east  of  Santa  Cruz. 

158 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Gabildn,  also  spelled  Gavildn  (hawk),  is  the 
name  of  the  long  mountain  ridge,  a  branch  of 
the  Coast  Range,  which  extends  through  the 
counties  of  San  Mateo  and  Santa  Cruz. 

Gonzales  (a  surname).  This  place  is  in  Monterey 
Count}-,  in  the  Salinas  valley,  seventeen  miles 
southeast  of  Salinas. 

Gorda  (fat,  thick). 

Las  GriiUas  (the  cranes).  In  the  diaries  of  the 
Portola  expedition,  date  of  October  7,  1769,  we 
read:  "We  pitched  our  camp  between  some  low 
hills  near  a  pond,  where  we  saw  a  great  number 
of  cranes,  the  first  we  had  seen  on  this  journey." 
This  was  about  four  leagues  from  the  Pajaro 
River. 

Jolon,  a  word  of  doubtful  origin,  which  has  been 
variousl}'  explained.  It  is  thought  by  some  persons 
to  be  a  corruption  of  Jalon,  a  proper  name,  but 
old  Spanish  residents  say  it  is  an  Indian  word, 
meaning  "valley  of  dead  oaks." 

IJanada  (a  plain,  level  ground).  This  ])lace  is 
in  San  Benito  County. 

Laurcles  (laurels).  Los  Laurdcs  is  the  name  of  a 
ranch  near  Monterey.  The  wild  laurel  is  a  shrub 
common  to  nian\-  j)arts  of  the  state. 

159 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Lohos  (wolves),  generally  used  on  this  coast  in 
the  sense  of  loho  marino,  (sea- wolf,  or  seal).  There 
is  a  Punta  de  Lohos  (seal  point),  near  Monterey 
which  is  noted  for  the  bold  grandeur  of  its  ocean 
scenery,  as  well  as  for  its  seals. 

Loma  Prieta  (dark  hill),  is  the  name  of  a  peak 
in  the  Santa  Cruz  Mountains. 

Moro  Cojo  (literally  "lame  Moor"),  is  the  name 
of  a  well-known  ranch  in  Monterey  County.  The 
Spaniards  were  in  the  habit  of  using  moro  to  mean 
anything  black,  and  in  this  case,  according  to 
old  residents,  the  ranch  was  named  for  a  lame 
black  horse  that  ran  wild  there. 

Natividad  (nativity  of  Christ),  is  the  name  of 
a  town  in  Monterey  County,  about  one  hun- 
dred miles  southeast  of  San  Francisco. 

Paicines  is  in  San  Benito  County.  This  is  a 
word  of  doubtful  origin,  and  many  theories  have 
been  advanced  to  account  for  it.  The  most 
probable  is  that  given  by  an  Indian  woman,  a 
resident  of  the  place,  who  says  it  was  the 
name  of  an  Indian  tribe.  The  word  is  also 
sometimes  spelled  Pajines.  See  Tres  Pinos, 
page  98. 

Panocha  is  in   San  Benito  County.     This  is  a 

160 


THEIR     MEANING      AND      ROMANCE 


word  applied  to  crude  sugar,  or  syrup,  somewhat 
resembling  sorghum.    Probably  modern. 

Paraiso  Springs  (paradise  springs),  is  a  health 
resort  in  Monterey  County. 

Pleito  (quarrel,  argument,  lawsuit).  This  place 
is  in  Monterey  County.  It  has  not  been  possible 
to  ascertain  the  application  of  its  name. 

Potrero  (pasture).  There  were  many  potrcros 
scattered  about  the  state. 

Puentes  (bridges).  This  place,  two  leagues 
from  the  San  Lorenzo  River,  was  reached  by  the 
Portola  party  October  i8,  1769,  and  the  reason 
for  its  naming  is  explained  by  Miguel  Costanso: 
"These  canyons  contained  running  water  in  very 
deep  ditches,  over  which  it  was  necessary  to  lay 
bridges  of  logs,  covered  with  earth  and  bundles 
of  sticks,  so  that  the  pack  animals  could  cross. 
The  place  was  called  Las  Puentes^ 

San  Benito  (St.  Benedict),  was  named  in  honor 
of  the  founder  of  the  great  order  of  Benedictines. 
San  Benito  Creek  was  named  in  177J  by  I'alhcr 
Crespi,  and  the  name  was  eventuallx'  ai)i)Iie(i  to 
the  county.  The  town  ol"  San  Hcnilo  is  on  the 
Salinas  Ri\er,  sixt\'  miles  southeast  of  Monlcrcy. 
It  is  said  of  St.  Benedict  that  he  became  a  hermit 

161 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


at  the  age  of  fifteen  and  fled  to  the  wilderness, 
where  he  lived  on  bread  and  water.  While  there 
he  was  tempted  by  the  remembrance  of  a  beau- 
tiful woman  he  had  seen  in  Rome,  and  to  over- 
come his  wish  to  see  her  again  "he  flung  himself 
into  a  thicket  of  briers  and  thorns,  and  rolled 
himself  therein  until  he  was  torn  and  bleeding. 
At  the  monastery  of  Subiaco  they  show  roses, 
said  to  have  been  propagated  from  these  briers." 

San  Lucas  (St.  Luke),  is  in  Monterey  County, 
sixty  miles  southeast  of  Salinas.  St.  Luke  was 
the  disciple  of  Paul,  who  speaks  of  him  as  "Luke, 
the  beloved  physician,"  but  tradition  reports 
him  to  have  been  an  artist,  and  that  he  always 
carried  with  him  two  portraits,  one  of  the  Saviour 
and  the  other  of  Mary.  Doubtless  for  this  reason 
he  is  regarded  as  the  patron  of  artists  and  acade- 
mies of  art. 

Sur  (south).  Point  Sur  (south  point),  on  the 
coast  south  of  Monterey,  is  a  bold  promontory 
where  a  light-house  was  placed  by  the  govern- 
ment, in  consequence  of  the  frequent  occurrence 
of  shipwrecks  there.  The  Sur  River  runs 
through  a  region  remarkable  for  the  wild  pic- 
turesqueness  of  its  scenery,  and  for  the  strange 

162 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


tales  told  of  happenings  among  its  early 
inhabitants. 

Toro  (bull),  is  the  name  of  a  ranch  near  Monte- 
rey, said  to  have  been  so-called  after  a  wild  bull. 

Tres  Pinos  (three  pines),  a  place  in  San  Benito 
County,  one  hundred  miles  southeast  of  San  Fran- 
cisco. Postmaster  Black,  of  Tres  Pinos,  gives  us 
the  following  history  of  the  naming  of  this  place : 
*'The  name  was  originally  applied  to  what  is  now 
known  as  Paicines,  but  when  the  railroad  came 
to  this  place  they  appropriated  the  name  of 
Tres  Pinos,  hence  it  has  no  significance  as  applied 
to  this  town.  The  name  was  given  the  stopping- 
place  now  known  as  Paicines  because  of  three 
pines  alleged  to  have  grown  on  the  banks  of  the 
Tres  Pinos  creek  near  that  place.  Paicines,  then 
Tres  Pinos,  was  the  scene  of  the  \';isrjuc'z  raid  and 
murders  in  the  t'arly  '70's." 

Uvas  (grai)es),  the  name  of  a  town  and  creek 
in  the  Santa  Cruz  Mountains,  no  doubt  so-called 
from  the  abundance  of  wild  grapes  found  in  that 
locality. 


1O3 


{THE  SANTA  CLARA 


VIII 


THE  SANTA  CLARA  VALLEY 


Santa  Clara.  When  the  Spaniards  passed 
through  this  valley,  they  were  not  slow  to  recog- 
nize in  it  one  of  those  favored  spots  on  the  earth's 
surface  where  climate  and  soil  unite  to  produce 
the  highest  results.  So  here  they  founded  two 
missions,  one  at  Santa  Clara,  and  one  at  San  Jose. 

Santa  Clara  (St.  Clara),  stands  in  one  of  the 
most  fertile  valleys  in  California,  which  is  equiva- 
lent to  saying  in  the  whole  world,  and  is  about 
forty-six  miles  south-southeast  of  San  Francisco. 
The  mission  was  founded  by  Padres  Pena  and 
Murguia,  January  12,  1777.  The  buildings  now 
standing  arc  mainly  modern,  l)ut  a  small  portion 
of  the  original  structure  being  inc()r])()raled  in 
them.  The  ceiling  over  the  sanctuary  is  original, 
and  a  small  part  of  the  adobf  buildings. 

Clara  dc  Asis,  the  sweet  saint  lor  whom  this 
mission  was  named,  was  the  daughli  r  (»l  a  noble- 
man. Her  bcaut\-  and  wcallli  bronghl  lu'r 
many  olfcrs  of  maii'iage,  all  ol  whii  h  slu'  rttused, 

167 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


preferring  to  devote  herself  to  a  religious  life. 
She  became  the  founder  of  the  order  of  Franciscan 
nuns,  known  as  the  "Poor  Clares,"  to  which  many 
noble  ladies  attached  themselves.  The  rules  of 
the  order  were  so  strict  that  St.  Clara's  health 
finally  became  undermined,  and  she  died  in 
an  ecstatic  trance,  believing  herself  called  to 
Heaven  by  angelic  voices.  Her  special  symbol  is 
the  lily,  peculiarly  appropriate  for  the  patroness 
of  the  ever-blooming  Santa  Clara  Valley. 


SAN  JOSE 

San  Jose  (St.  Joseph),  enjoys  the  distinction 
of  having  been  the  first  white  colony  planted  in 
the  state  by  the  Spaniards,  although  when  we 
read  the  complaints  of  the  padres  concerning  the 
highly  undesirable  character  of  its  first  settlers, 
recruited  mainly  from  the  criminal  classes  of 
Sonora,  the  distinction  would  seem  to  be  of  rather 
a  doubtful  sort. 

Spurred  on  by  the  old  bogie  of  their  fear  of 
foreign  invasion,  the  Spanish  government  decided 
to  estabHsh  colonies  of  white  settlers,  believing 

1 68 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


that  their  hold  upon  the  country  would  be  ren- 
dered more  secure  by  this  means.  The  pueblo  of 
San  Jose  de  (iuadalupe,  founded  November  29, 
1777,  by  Lieutenant  Jose  Moraga,  then  in  com- 
mand at  San  Francisco,  under  orders  from  Gov- 
ernor Neve,  was  originally  located  on  a  site  about 
a  mile  and  a  c^uarter  distant  from  the  present  city, 
but  was  removed  in  1797,  in  consequence  of  the 
discovery  that  the  low-lying  ground  of  its  first 
location  was  often  submerged  during  the  winter 
rains.  The  people  of  tlic  pueblo  were  compelled 
to  travel  a  distance  of  three  miles  to  attend  mass 
at  the  Santa  Clara  Mission,  and  in  order  to  make 
this  journey  more  agreeable,  Father  Maguin  de 
Catala  laid  out  the  alamcda  between  the  two 
places, planting  a  fine  avenue  of  willow  trees  which 
once  comforted  the  wayfarer  with  their  grateful 
shade.  The  original  trees  ha\e  now  practically 
all  disaj)pearcd  and  others  have  taken  their  places 
in  part,      'i'he  old  alameda  has  vanished. 

Not  until  1797  was  the  mission  of  San  jose 
founded,  on  a  s])()t  some  fourteen  miles  distant 
from  the  ])uebl().  The  ])a(lres  had  no  keen  desire 
to  ])laie  the  missions  in  close  ])ro.\iniity  to  the 
I)uel)l()S,  fearing  the  e\il  intluciuf  on  tin-  Indians 

171 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


of  a  bad  class  of  white  men,  besides  other  inevitable 
complications,  such  as  the  mixing  up  of  cattle. 
Father  Engelhardt,  in  his  History  of  the  California 
Missions,  tells  the  story  of  the  founding  of  the 
Mission  San  Jose  thus:  ''Here,  on  Trinity  Sun- 
day, June  II,  1797,  Father  Lasuen  raised  and 
blessed  the  cross.  In  a  shelter  of  boughs  he  cele- 
brated Holy  Mass,  and  thus  dedicated  the  mission 
in  honor  of  the  foster-father  of  Christ,  St.  Joseph." 

The  old  church  was  unfortunately  so  shattered 
by  an  earthquake  in  1868  that  it  was  torn  down 
and  replaced  by  a  wooden  edifice. 

It  should  be  made  clear  that  two  missions  were 
established  here,  Santa  Clara  and  San  Jose,  and 
that  the  latter  was  not  at  San  Jose,  as  some  maps 
represent  it,  but  some  fourteen  miles  distant  from 
the  town. 

PALO  ALTO 

Palo  Alto  (high  stick,  or  tree),  in  Santa  Clara 
County,  sixteen  miles  northwest  of  San  Jose,  once 
a  stock  farm  where  blooded  horses  were  raised, 
now  best  known  as  the  site  of  the  Leland  Stanford 
Junior  University,   is  said   to  have  received  its 

172 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


name  from  a  tall  redwood  tree  on  the  SanFran- 
cisquito  (little  St.  Francis)  creek.  This  tree 
stands  just  a  few  feet  from  the  railroad  bridge 
near  Palo  Alto  station,  and  is  said  by  old  residents 
to  have  originally  been  in  the  form  of  a  twin  tree, 
one  of  the  twins  having  been  cut  down.  The 
trees  of  this  species  received  the  name  Palo 
Colorado  (red  stick,  or  tree),  from  the  Portola 
party,  whose  attention  was  attracted  by  their 
uncommon  size  and  the  peculiar  reddish  color  of 
the  wood,  and  the  honor  of  their  discovery  may 
justly  be  awarded  to  (Caspar  de  Portola,  since  he 
seems  to  have  been  the  first  white  man  to  make 
report  of  having  seen  them. 

This  place  was  named  by  the  Anza  expedition 
of  1 775-1 776,  and  it  seems  rather  strange  that  no 
mention  is  made  in  the  diaries  of  the  fact  that  the 
tree  was  a  twin.  Father  Pedro  Font,  who  accom- 
panied the  expedition,  says:  "From  a  slight 
eminence  I  here  observed  the  lay  of  the  port  from 
this  point  and  saw  that  its  extremity  lay  to  the 
east-southeast.  I  also  noticed  that  a  very  high 
spruce  tree,  which  is  to  be  seen  at  a  great  dis- 
tance, rising  uj)  like  a  great  tower,  from  the  fJaiio 
de   !os    Rohles, — it   stands   on    the    hanks   of    the 

173 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Arroyo  de  San  Francisco,  later  on  I  measurecf  its 
height — lay  to  the  southeast."  Further  on  in  the 
diary  he  says:  "Beside  this  stream  is  the  redwood 
tree  I  spoke  of  yesterday:  I  measured  its  height 
with  the  graphometer  which  they  lent  me  at  the 
mission  of  San  Carlos,  and,  according  to  my 
reckoning,  found  it  to  be  some  fifty  yards  high, 
more  or  less;  the  trunk  was  five  yards  and  a  half 
in  circumference  at  the  base,  and  the  soldiers  said 
that  there  were  still  larger  ones  in  the  mountains." 
— (Translation  edited  by  Frederick  J.  Teggart.) 
This  description  of  Father  Font's  gives  rise  to  a 
strong  suspicion  that  the  tree  now  so  highly 
venerated  is  not  the  original  Palo  Alto  from  which 
the  place  takes  its  name.  The  name  was  first 
applied  to  a  land  grant. 


LA  SALUD 

La  Salud  (health).  In  the  name  of  this  place, 
not  far  from  the  San  Lorenzo  River,  reached  by 
the  Portola  party  on  October  22,  there  is  a  refer- 
ence to  one  of  the  heaviest  of  the  afflictions  from 
which  the  vSpaniards  suffered  during  their  journey 

174 


Till';   I'AI.O  COLORADO  iRi;i)\\()Ol)  TREE). 
"First  observed  and  named  by  GasjKir  dc  I'ortold.' 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


up  the  state, — serious  sickness  and  many  deaths 
from  scurvy.  To  their  great  surprise,  after  a 
wetting  received  during  a  heavy  storm  at  this 
place,  all  the  sick  began  to  recover.  Costanso, 
in  his  diary,  date  of  October  22,  says:  "The  day 
dawned  overcast  and  gloomy.  The  men  were 
wet.  What  excited  our  wonder  was  that  all  the 
sick,  for  whom  we  greatly  feared  that  the  wetting 
might  prove  harmful,  suddenly  found  their  pains 
very  much  relieved.  This  was  the  reason  for 
giving  the  canyon  the  name  of  La  Salud.''— 
(Translation  edited  by  P>ederick  J.  Teggart.) 


LOS  GATOS 

Los  Gatos  (the  cats),  is  the  rather  unpoetic 
name  of  a  very  pretty  town  in  Santa  Clara 
County,  ten  miles  southwest  of  San  Jose.  From 
its  location  at  the  mouth  of  a  canyon  in  the  Santa 
Cruz  Mountains,  the  inference  may  be  drawn 
that  it  was  named  in  reference  to  the  wild-cats 
which  even  at  this  day  infest  that  region.  John 
Charles  Fremont,  in  his  Memoirs,  says:  "The 
valley  is  ()})enly  wooded  with  groves  of  oak,  free 

177 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


from  under-brush,  and  after  the  spring  rains  cov- 
ered with  grass.  On  the  west  it  is  protected  from 
the  chilling  influence  of  the  northwest  winds  by 
the  Cuesta  de  los  Gatos  (wild-cat  ridge),  which 
separates  it  from  the  coast." 

"It  seems  to  have  been  known  as  early  as  1831 
as  La  Cuesta  de  Jos  Gatos.  That  there  were  troub- 
lous times  about  there  in  other  matters  besides 
wild-cats  is  evidenced  by  the  story  of  a  lively 
fight  that  took  place  in  1831  against  a  band  of 
Indians  under  a  chief  named  Yoscol.  This  chief 
was  eventually  captured  by  the  Santa  Clara 
authorities  and  beheaded,  his  head  being  exposed 
in  front  of  the  mission  as  a  warning  to  others." — 
(W.  Drummond  Norie,  of  Los  Gatos.) 


SUPPLEMENTARY  LIST 

Almaden  (mine,  mineral),  a  word  of  Moorish 
origin.  New  Almaden,  in  Santa  Clara  County, 
where  there  is  a  quicksilver  mine,  is  named  after 
the  famous  Almaden  quicksilver  mines  of  Spain. 

Alviso  (a  surname).  Alviso  is  in  Santa  Clara 
County,  eight  miles  northwest  of  San  Jose,  and 

178 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


received  its  name  from  Tgnacio  Alviso,  a  native 
of  Sonora,  born  in  1772,  who  was  a  member  of 
Anza's  party  of  colonists  in  1775-6.  He  was  the 
original  Alviso  of  California,  and  was  the  grantee 
of  Rincon  de  los  Esteros  Rancho. 

Arroyo  Hondo  (deep  creek). 

Coyote,  the  native  wolf  of  California.  Coyote 
is  an  Aztec  word,  originally  coyotl.  The  town  of 
this  name  is  situated  thirteen  miles  southeast  of 
San  Jose. 

Las  Llagas  (the  wounds  or  stigmata  of  St. 
Francis),— in  reference  to  the  legend  that  St. 
Francis  was  supposed  to  have  received,  after  a 
fast  of  fifty  days,  the  miraculous  imprint  of  the 
wounds  of  the  Sa\ior  in  his  hands,  feet  and  side. 
Las  Llagas  was  the  name  of  a  place  near  Gilroy, 
and  was  also  given  b\'  the  padres  to  Alameda 
Creek. 

Madrofio,  often  misspelled  madroiic,  is  the  name 
given  by  the  Spaniards  to  a  very  beautiful  tree 
indigenous  to  California,  which  is  thus  described 
by  Fremont  in  his  Memoirs :  "Another  remarkable 
tree  of  these  woods  is  called  in  th(^  language  of  the 
country  Madrofia.  It  is  a  hcautiful  evergreen, 
with  large,  thick  and  glossy  digitated  leaves;  the 

179 


PLACE     NAMES      OF     CALIFORNIA 


trunk  and  branches  reddish-colored,  and  having 
a  smooth  and  singularly  naked  appearance,  as  if 
the  bark  had  been  stripped  off.  In  its  green  state 
the  wood  is  brittle,  very  heavy,  hard  and  close- 
grained;  it  is  said  to  assume  a  red  color  when  dry, 
sometimes  variegated,  and  susceptible  of  a  high 
polish.  Some  measured  nearly  four  feet  in 
diameter,  and  were  about  sixty  feet  high." 

Mil  pit  as,  see  page  232. 

San  Felipe  (St.  Philip),  is  the  name  of  a  village 
in  Santa  Clara  County.  There  were  four  saints 
of  this  name,  perhaps  the  most  distinguished 
being  St.  Philip  Neri,  a  Florentine,  born  in  151 5. 
He  was  the  intimate  friend  of  St.  Charles  Bor- 
romeo,  patron  of  the  mission  at  Monterey,  and 
was  the  founder  of  the  order  of  the  Oratorians, 
"who  were  bound  by  no  vows,  and  were  not 
secluded  from  the  world,  but  went  about  reading 
and  praying  with  the  sick  and  needy,  founding 
and  visiting  hospitals  and  doing  various  chari- 
ties." Then  there  was  St.  Philip  of  Bethsaida, 
who,  going  to  Hieropohs,  "found  the  people  wor- 
shipping a  huge  serpent,  or  dragon,  which  they 
thought  to  be  a  personification  of  Mars.  Then 
Philip  took  pity  on  their  ignorance.    He  held  up 

180 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


the  cross  and  commanded  the  serpent  to  dis- 
appear. Immediately  it  glided  from  beneath  the 
altar,  and  as  it  moved  it  sent  forth  so  dreadful 
an  odor  that  many  died,  and  among  them  the 
son  of  the  King;  but  Philip  restored  him  to  life. 
Then  the  priests  of  the  serpent  were  so  wroth 
with  the  apostle  that  they  crucified  him,  and  when 
he  was  fastened  to  the  cross  they  stoned  him." 
— (Stories  of  the  Saints.) 

San  Martin  (St.  Martin),  is  a  town  in  Santa 
Clara  County,  six  miles  north  of  Gilroy.  St. 
Martin  has  many  legends  connected  with  his 
history.  Before  he  became  a  Christian,  he  was  a 
soldier  and  was  noted  for  his  kindness  and  charity 
to  his  comrades.  "The  winter  of  332  was  so 
severely  cold  that  large  numbers  perished  in  the 
streets  of  Amiens,  where  the  regiment  of  St. 
Martin  was  quartered.  One  day  he  met  at  the 
gate  a  naked  man,  and  taking  pity  on  him,  he 
divided  his  cloak,  for  it  was  all  he  liad,  and  gave 
half  to  the  beggar.  That  night  in  a  dream  Jesus 
stood  before  him,  and  on  his  shoulders  he  wore 
the  half  of  the  cloak  that  Martin  had  given  the 
beggar.  And  he  said  to  the  angels  who  attended 
him,  'Know  ye  who  hath  thus  arra\e(l  me?     My 

181 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


servant  Martin,  though  yet  unbaptized,  hath 
done  this.'  Then  Martin  was  immediately  bap- 
tized." Again  it  is  told  of  him  that  being  invited 
to  sup  with  the  emperor,  "the  cup  was  passed  to 
Martin,  before  his  Majesty  drank,  with  the  ex- 
pectation that  he  would  touch  it  to  his  lips,  as 
was  the  custom.  But  a  poor  priest  stood  behind 
Martin,  and  to  the  surprise  and  admiration  of 
all,  the  saint  presented  the  full  goblet  to  him, 
thus  signifying  that  a  servant  of  God  deserved 
more  honor,  however  humble  his  station,  than 
any  merely  earthly  potentate;  from  this  legend 
he  has  been  chosen  the  patron  of  all  innocent 
conviviality." — (Stories  of  the  Saints.) 


182 


AROUND 
.{^{  FRANCISCO  BAY 


0 


TX 
AROUND  SAN  FRANCISCO  BAY 

San  Francisco.  Many  persons,  misled  by  an 
incorrect  translation  of  a  certain  passage  in 
Palou's  Life  of  Serra,  have  ascribed  the  naming  of 
the  bay  of  San  Francisco  (St.  Francis),  to  the 
Portola  expedition  of  1769,  but,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  the  outer  bay,  the  great  indentation  in  the 
coast  outside  of  the  Golden  Gate,  between  Point 
Reyes  and  Mussel  Point,  had  received  this  name 
man\-  years  before.  In  remonstrating  with  the 
Visitador  General  because  no  mission  had  been 
provided  for  St.  Francis  in  Upper  California, 
Serra  remarked,  "And  is  there  no  mission  for  our 
Father  St.  JYancis?"  Senor  Galvez  replied, 
"5/  San  Francisco  quicrc  mi  si  on,  que  Jiaga  sc 
luilla  su  Puerto  y  sc  Ic  pondrd  (If  St.  Francis  wants 
a  mission,  let  him  cause  his  port  to  be  found  and 
one  will  be  ])laced  there  for  him)."  By  "liis 
port"  (ialvez  referred  to  a  port  already  discovered 
and  named,  but  which  had  been  lost  sight  of  during 
the   intcr\-ening  years,   and    which    he   wished    to 

i«5 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


have  re-discovered.  This  is  further  carried  out 
by  the  succeeding  statements  of  Palou,  in  which 
he  says  that  after  faihng  to  recognize  the  port  of 
Monterey,  "they  came  to  the  port  of  St.  Francis, 
our  father,  and  they  all  knew  it  immediately  by 
the  agreement  of  the  descriptions  which  they 
carried,"  referring  to  descriptions  obtained  from 
the  papers  of  the  first  discoverers.  Father  Crespi, 
who  accompanied  the  expedition,  says:  "All  the 
descriptions  which  we  found  here  we  read  in  the 
log-book  of  the  pilot  Cabrera  Bueno,  in  order  to 
form  a  judgment  that  this  is  the  port  of  San 
Francisco.  To  make  it  all  clear,  the  Sefior  Com- 
mandante  ordered  that  during  the  day  Sergeant 
Ortega  should  go  out  with  a  party  of  soldiers  to 
explore."  Further  on  in  the  same  diary  we  read: 
"From  the  top  of  a  hill  we  made  out  the  great 
estuary,  or  arm  of  the  sea,  which  probably  has  a 
width  of  four  or  live  leagues."  This  is  undoubtedly 
the  first  occasion  when  the  eye  of  a  white  man 
rested  upon  "the  great  arm  of  the  sea,"  that  is, 
the  inner  harbor  of  San  Francisco  as  we  now 
knQw  it. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  until  the   arrival 
of  Portola,  the  Spaniards  only  knew  this  part  of 

i86 


THEIR     MEANING      AND      ROMANCE 


the  coast  from  the  sea  side,  having  no  knowledge 
of  that  great  inland  sea  known  to  us  as  the  bay  of 
San  Francisco.  When  the  party  came  up  by 
land  on  their  futile  search  for  Monterey,  they 
reached  Fort  Point,  and  there  recognized  the 
marks  of  the  outer  bay  as  given  by  early  navi- 
gators and  called  by  them  San  Francisco.  Then 
they  climbed  a  hill,  and  looking  to  the  landward 
saw  the  ''great  arm  of  the  sea,"  the  inner  harbor, 
to  which  the  name  of  San  Francisco  was  finally 
extended. 

Palou  ascribed  the  failure  of  the  party  to  recog- 
nize the  port  of  Monterey,  and  the  consequent 
continuance  of  their  journey  as  far  as  San  Fran- 
cisco, to  a  direct  interposition  of  the  divine  hand, 
so  that  Galvez's  promise  of  a  mission  for  St. 
Francis  might  be  carried  out. 

The  honor  of  the  christening  of  our  world-fam- 
ous bay  probably  belongs  to  Sebastian  Rodriguez 
Cermenon,  a  Portuguese  navigator,  who  was 
commissioned  in  the  year  1595  by  Philij)  II  to 
search  for  safe  harbors  along  the  coast  for  \essels 
in  the  Philij)i)ine  trade.  These  shi])s  usually 
shaped  their  return  course  so  as  lo  touch  t'lrst  at 
about  the  latitude  of  Cape  Mendocino,   making 

189 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


a  knowledge  of  the  harbors  south  of  that  point 
a  matter  of  great  importance,  especially  in  stormy 
weather.  Cermefion  had  the  misfortune  to  lose 
his  vessel,  the  San  Agustin,  on  Point  Reyes,  and 
was  compelled  to  make  his  way  home,  with  great 
peril  and  suffering,  in  a  small  boat.  In  his  Der- 
rotero  y  Relacion  (Itinerary  and  Narrative), 
under  date  of  April  24,  1596,  he  says:  "We 
sighted  New  Spain  at  Cape  Mendocino  on  No- 
vember 4,  1595  ....  We  left  the  bay 
and  port  of  San  Francisco,  which  is  called  by 
another  name,  a  large  bay,  in  382^^  degrees,  and 
the  islets  [Farallones]  in  the  mouth  are  in  381^^ 
degrees,  the  distance  between  the  two  points  of 
the  bay  being  twenty-five  leagues."  It  is  clear 
from  this  description  that  he  referred  to  that 
great  indentation  in  the  coast  between  Point 
Reyes  and  one  of  the  points  to  the  south,  possibly 
Mussel  Point,  and  that  he  gave  the  name  of  San 
Francisco  to  it,  displacing  some  other  name  by 
which  it  had  been  previously  known.  At  any 
rate,  if  this  is  not  the  origin,  it  is  likely  to  remain 
lost  in  the  mists  of  the  Pacific.  Bancroft  says: 
"There  can  be  little  doubt  that  Cermefion  named 
the  port  of  his  disaster  San  Francisco.'''' 

190 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


An  absurd  theory  advanced  by  certain  persons 
that  the  name  was  derived  from  that  of  Sir 
Francis  Drake  is  wholly  unworthy  of  consider- 
ation. The  resemblance  between  the  two  names 
must  be  regarded  as  purely  a  co-incidence,  and 
any  connection  between  "£/  PzVa/a"  (the  pirate) 
Drake,  as  the  Spaniards  usually  called  him,  and 
the  name  of  the  gentle  St.  Francis  must  be  taken 
in  the  light  of  a  jest. 

Portola,  then,  although  he  was  indubitably 
the  discoverer  of  the  bay  as  we  know  it, — the 
inner  harbor, — found  the  name  already  applied 
to  the  outer  ensenada  b\-  his  predecessor,  Cer- 
menon. 

It  is  held  by  some  persons  that  Portola  cannot 
in  all  fairness  be  considered  the  actual  discoverer 
of  the  bay,  since  it  is  most  probable  that  Lieu- 
tenant Ortega  or  perhaps  some  meml)er  of  a  hunt- 
ing ])arty  which  was  sent  out  actually  laid  physi- 
cal eyes  u])()n  it  first,  and  it  is  e\cn  thought  j)ossi])le 
that  Portola  never  saw  it  at  all,  but  remained  in 
camp  all  tlic  time  during  thrir  stay  on  its  shores. 
Even  granting  these  facts,  the  question  remains 
whether  he,  as  the  tomniandcr  of  the  ]>arty  mak- 
ing   the    ex]X'dition     which     louhrd    in     tlu'    dis- 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


covery,  is  not  still  entitled  to  the  fame  which  has 
generally  been  granted  to  him. 

A  parallel  might  be  drawn  between  the  case  of 
Portola  and  that  of  Columbus.  When  the  famous 
expedition  of  1492  drew  near  to  the  shores  of  the 
new  world,  it  was  not  the  great  admiral,  but  a 
common  sailor,  Rodrigo  de  Triana  by  name,  who 
first  raised  the  thrilling  cry  of  "land!  land!";  yet, 
nevertheless,  the  world  justly  awards  the  honor 
and  glory  of  the  discovery  to  Christopher  Colum- 
bus, the  leader  and  the  soul  of  the  party,  whose 
splendid  imagination  and  unconquerable  resolu- 
tion m.ade  it  possible. 

Although  the  Portola  party  made  a  partial 
examination  at  this  time  of  the  shores  of  what 
they  called  the  "great  arm  of  the  sea,"  and  Cap- 
tain Fages  returned  for  further  explorations  in 
1770,  and  again  in  1772,  when  he  stood  on  the 
present  site  of  Berkeley  and  looked  out  through 
the  Golden  Gate,  the  mission  was  not  established 
until  1776.  Father  Palou  was  its  founder,  and 
he  states  in  his  Life  of  Serra  that  the  presidio 
was  established  with  solemn  religious  services, 
September  17,  1776,  on  the  day  of  the  "impressions 
of  the  stigmata  of  St.  Francis,"  but  on  account  of 

192 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


a  delay  in  receiving  orders,  the  founding  of  the 
mission  did  not  take  place  until  October  9.  On 
that  day  a  procession  was  held  with  the  image  of 
St.  Francis,  and  mass  was  celebrated  by  Father 
Palou  himself. 

So  they  prayed  and  sang  their  hymns,  in  the 
year  of  '76,  while  their  hearts  beat  high  with  the 
zeal  of  the  missionar}%  and,  happily,  no  echo  of 
the  roll  of  drums  and  boom  of  minute  guns  came 
to  them  across  the  untrodden  miles  of  mountain 
and  plain,  of  forest  and  prairie,  that  separated 
them  from  the  alien  race  on  the  other  rim  of  the 
continent,  for  whom  they  were  all  unconsciously 
preparing  the  way  to  the  possession  of  a  great 
principality. 

No  natives  were  present  at  this  mass,  for  the 
reason  that  in  the  month  of  August  they  had  been 
driven  on  their  tule  rafts  to  the  islands  of  the  bay 
and  the  opposite  shores,  by  their  enemies,  the 
Salsonas,  who  lived  about  seven  leagues  to  the 
southeast,  and  who  had  set  fire  to  their  ranchcrias 
and  killed  and  wounded  many  of  their  people, 
the  Spaniards  not  being  able  to  prevent  it. 

The  first  settlement  was  three-fold,  including 
the  mission   of    San   Francisco  dc  Asis,   on    the 

193 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Laguna  de  los  Dolores  (the  lagoon  of  sorrows), 
the  presidio,  and  the  pueblo,  separated  from  one 
another  by  about  a  league.  The  Pueblo  was  at 
first  known  as  Yerha  Buena,  in  reference  to  the 
profuse  growth  of  that  vine  about  the  locality. 
The  change  of  the  name  is  ascribed  by  General 
Sherman,  in  his  Memoirs,  to  jealousy  of  the  town 
of  Benicia,  which  was  at  first  called  Francisca, 
in  honor  of  General  Vallejo's  wife,  and  was 
thought  to  bear  too  marked  a  resemblance  to  the 
name  of  the  great  patron,  San  Francisco.  Gen- 
eral Vallejo  himself  states  that  the  change  was 
made  as  a  matter  of  convenience,  to  bring  the  three 
points  of  the  triangle,  church,  town,  and  presidio, 
all  under  one  name.  Whatever  the  reason  for 
the  change,  it  is  a  matter  of  congratulation  that 
it  occurred,  for  the  name  of  the  venerable  saint 
carries  a  dignity  more  commensurate  to  a  noble 
city  than  the  poetic,  but  less  impressive  Yerba 
Buena. 

The  church  of  San  Francisco  de  Asis,  popularly 
known  as  Mission  Dolores,  still  stands  in  a  good 
state  of  preservation,  having  almost  miraculously 
withstood  the  earthquake  and  fire  of  1906,  which 
laid  low  all  its  proud  modern  neighbors.     Of  its 

194 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


patron,  the  gentle  St.  Francis,  it  may  be  said  that 
he  was  the  son  of  a  rich  merchant,  but  that  he 
abandoned  his  riches,  adopted  vows  of  poverty, 
and  founded  the  order  of  Franciscans.  "While 
in  a  trance,  or  vision,  after  having  fasted  for  fifty 
days,  he  received  the  miraculous  imprint  of  the 
wounds  of  the  Savior  on  his  hands, feet,  and  side." 
His  chief  attributes  were  humility,  poverty,  and 
love  for  animals.  In  pictures  he  is  always  repre- 
sented as  accompanied  bv  a  pet  lamb. 

THE  GOLDEN  GATE 

Although  this  name,  not  being  of  Spanish  or 
Indian  origin,  is  not  properly  included  in  these 
pages,  its  close  relationship  to  San  Francisco, 
and  its  position  as  the  gate-way  to  the  entire 
state,  will  not  permit  it  to  be  passed  by. 

In  view  of  the  comparatively  recent  origin  of 
the  name,  1844,  and  the  accessibility  of  the  story, 
it  seems  strange  indeed  that  aii\-  writer  should 
have  advanced  the  theory  that  the  Golden  Gate 
received  its  name  from  Sii-  P'rancis  Drake,  yet 
this  wholly  unfounded  exi)lanati()n  has  found  its 
way  into  print.      In   the  first  place,  it  has  been 

197 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


pretty  thoroughly  estabHshed  by  historians  that 
Drake  never  saw  the  inner  harbor,  and  knew 
nothiT^Tj  of  the  narrow  strait  leading  to  it.  In  the 
repc  ;f  his  voyage,  written  by  one  of  his  corn- 
pan'  .s,  we  read:  "At  38  degrees  toward  the  Hne, 
it  pj  ised  God  to  send  us  into  a  faire  and  good 
harborow,  with  a  good  wind  to  enter  the  same. 
Our  General  called  this  country  Nova  Albion,  and 
that  for  tw^o  causes; — the  one  in  respect  of  the 
white  bankes  and  cHffes,  which  ly  toward  the 
sea;  and  the  other  that  it  might  have  some 
affinity  with  our  country  in  name,  which  sometime 
was  so-called."  The  white  chffs  under  Point 
Reyes  answer  so  well  to  this  description  that 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  Drake's  anchorage 
was  in  the  small  outer  bay  under  that  point,  now 
known  as  Drake's  Bay;  to  say  nothing  of  the  fact 
that  the  account  of  the  voyage  has  no  word  con- 
cerning the  great  land-locked  harbor,  with  a 
narrow  strait  as  its  only  entrance,  a  circumstance 
so  novel  that,  as  Bancroft  justly  observes,  Drake 
could  not  have  failed  to  mention  it  had  he  known 
aught  of  it. 

All  discussion  of  the  name  Golden  Gate  is,  more- 
over, brought  to  an  end  by  the  fact  that  its  real 

198 


THEIR      MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


author,   John   Charles  Fremont,   gi\-es  a  circum- 
stantial account  of  it  in  his  Memoirs.     After  an 
elaborate   description   of   the   bay,    and    its   sur- 
roundings,  he   says:      "Between    these   p       ts   is 
the  strait, — about  one  mile  broad  in  its  na,    west 
part,  and  five  miles  long  from  the  sea  to  tl.     bay. 
To  this  gate  I  gave  the  name  of  Chrysopyiae,  or 
Golden  C.ate;  for  the  same  reasons  that  the  harbor 
of  Byzantium    (Constantinople  afterwards),   was 
called  Chrysoccras,  or  Golden  Horn.     The  form 
of  the  harbor  and  its  advantages  for  commerce, 
and  that  before  it  became  an  entrepot  of  eastern 
commerce,    suggested    the    name    to    the    Greek 
founders  of  Byzantium.    The  form  of  the  entrance 
into  the  bay  of  San  Francisco,  and  its  advantages 
for  commerce,  Asiatic    indusive,  suggested  to  me 
the   name   which    I   gave   to   this   entrance,   and 
which  I  ])ut  upon  tlie  maj)  that  accom})anied  a 
geograi)hi(al   memoir  a(l(h-essed  to  the  senate  of 
the  United  States,  in  June,  1S48." 

Here  we  have,  told  in  the  somewhat  ])edantic 
language  of  its  aulhor,  Hu'  Iriu'  story  (»l  ihi'  lirst 
appearance  of  the  famous  name  Golden  (idle  upon 
the  map  of  the  world,  and  instead  of  its  having 
been  "nannd  b\-  Coloiul  I'lciiioiU  l)ccause  ol  the 

199 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


brilliant  effect  of  the  setting  sun  on  the  chffs  and 
hills,"  as  one  writer  has  fondly  imagined,  or  from 
any  idea  connected  with  the  shining  metal, 
which  still  lay  buried  deep  from  the  sight  of  man 
beneath  the  mountains  of  the  land,  it  was  born 
in  a  sordid  dream  of  commerce.  Yet,  for  so 
wonderfully  apt  a  name,  whatever  may  have  been 
Fremont's  motive  in  selecting  it,  we  owe  him  a 
debt  of  gratitude. 

There  is  some  disposition  to  doubt  this  expla- 
nation of  the  name  Golden  Gate,  partly  on  the 
ground  of  a  distrust  of  Fremont's  trustworthiness, 
and  partly  because  of  its  far-fetched  nature.  As 
to  the  latter  objection  it  should  be  remembered 
that  he  was  that  kind  of  a  man.  He  was  pos- 
sessed of  a  certain  amount  of  erudition  which  he 
was  fond  of  showing  off,  and  this  labored  method 
of  seeking  for  a  name  in  the  old  Greek  was  quite 
in  keeping  with  his  character.  As  to  his  reha- 
bility,  although  it  is  quite  possible  that  he  colored 
events  of  a  political  character  to  suit  his  own  pur- 
poses, in  ordinary  matters  there  seems  to  be  no 
reason  to  doubt  his  statements.  At  all  events, 
the  name  Golden  Gate  does  in  fact  appear  upon 
his  map  of  1848  as  he  says. 


200 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


According  to  Dr.  Vallejo,  the  Golden  Gate 
was  called  by  the  Indians  Yulupa,  pronounced 
ee-oo-loo-pa,  which  means  "near  the  sea  plunge," 
that  is,  the  plunge  of  the  sun  into  the  sea,  and  may 
be  freely  translated  as  the  "Sunset  Strait."  The 
suffix  pa  is  said  by  Dr.  Vallejo  to  signify  "near." 
—  {Memoirs  of  the  Vallejos,  edited  by  James  H. 
Wilkins,  San  Francisco  Bulletin,  January,  1914.) 


ALCATRAZ 

Alcatraz  (pelican),  the  fortress-like  island  in  the 
bay,  just  inside  the  channel,  performs  the  triple 
duty  of  a  fortified  military  post,  prison,  and  light- 
house. Although  but  1650  feet  in  length,  it  rises 
to  a  height  of  130  feet  above  the  water,  and  in  the 
shadowy  light  just  after  sunset,  its  high,  rocky 
walls,  t()])])ed  by  the  buildings  of  the  fortifications 
and  ])ris()n,  make  a  silhouette  against  the  sky 
strikingly  like  a  great  drcadnaughl,  standing 
guard  at  the  harbor's  entrance. 

The  story  of  its  naming  can  not  be  run  to  earth, 
but  it  i)robably  originated  in  some  circumstance 
connected  with  the  great  sea-birds  whose  ungainly 

203 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


forms  may  still  be  seen  heavily  flapping  over  the 
bay,  or  resting  on  the  island. 


ANGEL  ISLAND 

Angel  Island,  the  Americanization  of  La  Isla 
de  los  Angeles  (the  isle  of  the  angels),  belies  its 
name,  since  it  has  been  devoted  to  the  quite 
un-angehc  business  of  quarantine  station  of  San 
Francisco. 

Palou,  in  speaking  of  the  expedition  of  1776, 
says':  "They  moved  to  the  island  which  is  in 
front  of  the  mouth,  which  they  called  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Angeles  [Our  Lady  of  the  Angels], 
on  which  they  found  good  anchorage,  and  going 
on  land,  they  found  plenty  of  wood  and  water." 

A  story  has  found  its  way  into  print  that  the 
island  was  named  "from  a  miner  who  once  settled 
there,"  the  writer  probably  mixing  it  up  with  the 
name  of  Angel's  Camp,  in  the  Sierras.  What  a 
desecration  for  our  island,  with  its  romantic 
name  of  "Our  Lady  of  the  Angels,"  piously 
given  to  it  by  the  Spaniards  in  honor  of  the 
Virgin  1 

204 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


YERBA  BUENA  ISLAND 

Verba  Biicna  (the  good  herb),  is  the  name  of  a 
dainty  Httle  \ine  native  to  the  Cahfornia  woods, 
which  has  an  agreeable  aromatic  odor,  and  was 
much  in  use  among  the  Spanish  as  a  medicinal 
herb,  and  to  add  a  pleasant  aroma  to  their  tea. 
Fremont,  who,  whatever  else  may  be  said  of  him, 
had  enough  poetry  in  his  soul  to  feel  an  expansive 
joy  over  the  plant  life  of  this  flowery  land,  des- 
cribes it  as  follows:  "A  vine  with  a  small  white 
flower,  called  here  la  yerba  buena,  which,  from  its 
abundance,  gives  its  name  to  an  island  and  town 
in  the  bay,  was  to-day  very  frequent  on  our  road, 
sometimes  running  on  the  ground,  or  climbing 
the  trees."  It  is  said  that  the  Hupa  Indians  were 
in  the  hal)it  of  weaving  the  tendrils  of  this  vine 
in  their  hair  for  the  sake  of  the  perfume. 

Some  talk  has  arisen  of  late  that  this  poetic 
and  historic  name  is  to  be  taken  away  from  our 
island.  Commuters,  when  you  pass  it  on  your 
daily  journey,  let  your  minds  carry  you  back  to 
the  day  when  the  delicate  tendrils  of  the  little 
vine  wa\ed  on  the  island's  steep  slopes,  and  its 

205 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


sweet  scent  was  wafted  on  the  breeze  from  the 
Golden  Gate,  and  do  not,  I  pray  you,  consent  to 
call  it  Goat  I 

MARE  ISLAND 

Mare  Island,  in  San  Pablo  Bay,  separated  from 
Vallejo  by  a  strait  one-half  mile  wide,  a  charming 
spot  with  an  unpoetic  name, — is  another  example 
of  writers  attempting  to  make  difficulties  where 
none  exist,  and  so  they  would  have  us  believe  that 
the  name  of  this  isle  arose,  like  Venus,  from  mare, 
the  sea.  Apart  from  the  fact  that  this  labored 
method  of  naming  places,  by  seeking  in  the  Latin, 
was  quite  foreign  to  the  custom  of  the  Spaniards, 
it  happens  that  the  true  story  in  this  case  is  at 
hand,  and  can  scarcely  be  doubted,  since  it 
occurred  in  the  immediate  family  of  Dr.  Vallejo, 
who  tells  it  thus:  ''In  early  days,  the  only  ferry- 
boat on  the  waters  near  Vallejo  and  Benicia  was 
a  rude  one,  made  chiefly  of  oil  barrels  obtained 
from  whaling  ships,  and  propelled  by  sails.  These 
barrels  were  secured  together  by  beams  and 
planking,  and  it  was  divided  into  compartments 
for  the  accommodation  of  cattle,  to  the  transpor- 

206 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


tation  of  which  it  was  chiefly  devoted.  One  day, 
while  this  boat  was  coming  from  Martinez  to 
Benicia,  a  sudden  squall  overtook  it,  and  the  craft 
pitched  fearfully;  the  animals,  chiefly  horses, 
became  restive,  and  some  of  them  broke  through 
it.  The  boat  was  upset,  and  the  living  cargo 
thrown  into  the  bay.  Some  of  the  livestock  were 
drowned,  and  some  managed  to  reach  either  shore 
by  swimming.  One  of  the  horses,  an  old  white 
mare,  owned  and  much  prized  by  General  \'allejo, 
succeeded  in  effecting  a  landing  on  the  island,  and 
was  rescued  there  a  few  days  after  by  the  General, 
who  thereupon  called  the  place  La  Isla  dc  la 
Vegua  (the  island  of  the  mare)." 

An  interesting  corroboration  of  this  story  is 
found  on  ])age  574  of  Fremont's  Memoirs,  where 
he  refers  to  the  island  as  La  Lsia  dc  la  Ycgua. 

A  statue  of  a  white  horse  would  perj:)etuate  the 
history  of  this  isle  in  a  manner  both  api:)ro])riate 
and  beautiful,  in  the  same  way  that  upon  the 
heights  of  Angel  Island  a  colossal  figure  of  an 
angel,  or  of  the  \'irgin,  and  u])on  .Mcatraz  a  great 
pelican  with  outspread  wings,  might  he  j)laced 
to  tell  their  stories.  In  the  old  world,  many 
legends  of  the  past  are  perpetuated  in  this  way, 

207 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


and  there  is  no  reason  why  the  equally  romantic 
episodes  in  California's  history  should  not  be  so 
commemorated,  at  least  in  those  cases  that  lend 
themselves  readily  to  purposes  of  art. 


ALAMEDA 

It  has  been  thought  that  this  name  may  have 
been  derived  from  the  resemblance  between 
Alameda  creek,  at  one  time  thickly  shaded  along 
its  banks  by  willows  and  silver-barked  sycamores, 
and  an  alameda  (an  avenue  shaded  by  trees), 
but  since  the  primary  meaning  of  the  word  is  "a 
place  w^here  poplar  trees  grow,"  from  alamo  (pop- 
lar or  Cottonwood),  it  requires  less  stretching  of 
the  imagination  to  believe  that  some  such  grove 
of  cottonwoods  near  the  creek  gave  it  the  name. 
Fray  Danti,  in  his  diary  of  the  exploration  of  "the 
Alameda"  in  1795,  says:  "We  came  to  the  river 
of  the  Alameda,  which  has  many  large  boulders, 
brought  down  by  floods,  and  is  well  populated  with 
willows,  alders,  and  here  and  there  a  laurel.  At 
a  little  distance  from  where  the  river  runs,  the 
tides  of  the  Estuary  come." 

208 


3 

a 


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■f. 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


'^  From  the  name  of  an  insignificant  little  stream, 
Alameda  has  come  to  be  the  designation  of  one  of 
the  most  important  counties  in  the  state,  and  of 
the  flourishing  city  on  the  east  side  of  San  Fran- 
cisco Bay,  nine  miles  east-southeast  of  San  Fran- 
cisco. This  city  was  once  knowTi  as  Encinal 
(place  of  oaks),  on  account  of  the  groves  of  beau- 
tiful live-oaks  there,  nearly  all  of  which  have, 
most  unfortunately,  been  sacrificed  to  so-called 
"improvements."  Yet,  some  fine  specimens  still 
remain  in  the  county,  perhaps  the  best  being 
those  on  the  campus  of  the  University  of  Cali- 
fornia, at  Berkeley,  Alameda  County.  The 
encino  (live-oak),  is  thus  described  by  Professor 
Jepsen :  'Tt  is  a  low,  broad-headed  tree,  commonly 
twenty  to  forty  feet,  but  sometimes  seventy  feet 
high.  The  trunk  is  from  one  to  four  feet  in  diam- 
eter, usually  short,  and  parting  into  wide-spread 
limbs,  which  often  touch  or  trail  along  the  ground." 
This  tree  has  little  commercial  value,  but  is  highly 
regarded  for  its  hardy  nature,  which  permits  it 
to  flourish  in  exposed  localities  along  the  coast, 
where  no  other  tree  thrives,  and  for  the  perennial 
green  with  which  it  adorns  an  otherwise  often 
bleak  landsraju'.     (Xotes  taken    from    T//r   Trees 


211 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


of  California,  by  Professor  Willis  Linn  Jepsen, 
of  the  University  of  California.) 


LOS  FARALLONES 

Los  Farallones,  the  three  small  islands  standing 
like  watch-dogs  at  our  outer  gate,  about  thirty- 
two  miles  due  west  of  the  entrance  to  the  bay, 
derive  their  name  from  farallon,  a  word  meaning 
"a  small  pointed  island  in  the  sea."  Although 
this  word  is  commonly  employed  by  the  Spanish 
to  designate  such  islands,  and  its  use  in  this  case 
is  perfectly  obvious,  the  statement  has  been  made 
that  our  isles  were  named  for  a  certain  FeroUa, 
one  of  the  early  navigators,  a  theory  entirely 
without  value. 

The  Farallones  are  frequented  by  multitudes 
of  sea-fowl,  which  breed  there  and  at  one  time 
supplied  great  quantities  of  eggs  for  the  San 
Francisco  market.  For  some  twenty  years  or 
more  the  United  States  Government,  owing  to 
the  contentions  of  rival  egg  companies,  has  pro- 
hibited the  gathering  and  sale  of  these  eggs. 


212 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


MOUNT  TAMALPAIS 

"To  see  the  sun  set  over  Tamalpais, 
Whose  tented  peak,  suffused  with  rosy  mist, 
Blended  the  colors  of  the  sea  and  sky 
And  made  the  mountain  one  great  amethyst 

Hanging  against  the  sunset." 

{Edward  Rowland  Sill.) 

Tamalpais  (bay  mountain),  is  in  Marin  County, 
five  miles  southwest  of  San  Rafael;  it  rises  to  a 
height  of  2606  feet  above  sea  level,  and  dominates 
San  Francisco  Bay  and  the  surrounding  country, 
offering  one  of  the  most  magnificent  panoramas 
of  sea  and  land  to  be  seen  anywhere  on  the  earth's 
surface.  Its  name  is  a  comj^ound  of  two  Indian 
words,  tamal  (bay),  and  pais  (mountain).  The 
resemblance  of  the  latter  word  to  the  Spanish 
pais  (country),  is  thought  by  ethnologists  to  be 
purely  accidental. 

Dr.  X'cillejo  has  an  exjilanation  of  llic  meaning 
of  this  word  which  differs  somewhat  from  the  one 
given  by  ethnologists.  He  says  it  was  originally 
called  Tcmel-pa  (near  the  sea),  and  was  corrui)ted 
into  its  present  form  by  the  Spaniards.    According 

21.^ 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


to  Dr.  Vallejo,  the  suffix  pa  signifies  nearness. 
{Memoirs  of  the  Vallejos,  edited  by  James  H. 
Wilkins,  San  Francisco  Bulletin,  January,  1914.) 

A  very  remarkable  circumstance  in  the  history 
of  this  mountain  is  the  fact  that  it  underwent  a 
change  of  position  at  the  time  of  the  great  earth- 
quake of  1906,  of  course  in  conjunction  with  the 
entire  sheet  of  the  earth's  surface  upon  which  it 
stands.  On  that  occasion,  the  northeast  and 
southwest  sides  of  the  rift  slipped  upon  each 
other,  first  carrying  the  sheet  of  land  upon  which 
Tamalpais  rests  to  the  north,  then  the  "spring- 
back"  carried  it  back  toward  the  south  again. 
According  to  the  report  of  the  State  Earthquake 
Investigation  Commission,  "As  a  consequence 
of  the  movement,  it  is  probable  that  the  latitudes 
and  longitudes  of  all  points  in  the  Coast  Ranges 
have  been  permanently  changed  a  few  feet." 

So  the  old  mountain,  sitting  in  Indian  stoicism, 
indifferent  to  the  storms  that  sometimes  lash  its 
sturdy  sides,  the  fogs  that  roll  in  a  white,  billowy 
sea  around  its  foot,  and  earthquakes  that  shift 
its  latitude  and  longitude  some  feet,  has  very 
appropriately  received  its  name  from  the  language 
of  the  aborigines  who  once  dwelt  at  its  base. 

214 


c 

75 


3 

r— ■ 

cr 

V; 


3 

ft; 


C 
3 


X 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


MOUNT  DIABLO 

Mount  Diablo  (devil  mountain),  is  an  isolated, 
conical  peak  of  the  Coast  Range,  in  Contra  Costa 
County,  about  thirty-eight  miles  northeast  of 
San  Francisco.  It  rises  3849  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea,  and  is  the  most  conspicuous  land-mark 
in  the  central  part  of  the  state.  General  M.  G. 
Vallejo  tells  the  following  story  to  account  for 
the  name:  "In  1806,  a  military  expedition  from 
San  Francisco  marched  against  a  tribe  called  the 
Bolgones,  who  were  encamped  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain.  There  was  a  hot  fight,  which  was  won 
by  the  Indians.  Near  the  end  of  the  fight,  a 
person,  decorated  with  remarkable  plumage,  and 
making  strange  movements,  suddenly  appeared. 
After  the  victory,  the  i)erson,  called  Puy  (evil 
spirit),  in  the  Indian  tongue,  departed  toward 
the  mountain.  The  soldiers  heard  that  this  spirit 
often  a])peared  thus,  and  they  i^amed  the  moun- 
tain Diablo  (devil).  These  ap])earances  con- 
tinued until  the  tribe  was  subdued  b\'  Lieutenant 
Moraga,   in   the  same  \ear." 

if  this  tjc  the  true  stor}'  of  tile  naming  of  Mount 

217 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Diablo,  and  there  seems  to  be  no  good  reason  to 
doubt  it,  it  is  quite  likely  that  the  Pwy,  or  devil, 
was  one  of  the  "medicine  men"  who  played  upon 
the  superstitions  of  the  Indians  by  pretending 
to  be  the  "spirit  of  the  mountain." 

It  is  said  by  Dr.  Vallejo  that  this  mountain 
was  regarded  by  the  Indians  as  the  home  of  the 
Devil,  called  in  their  language  Pui,  and  that  the 
medicine  men  claimed  to  be  his  agents.  {Memoirs 
of  the  Vallejos,  edited  by  James  H.  Wilkins,  San 
Francisco  Bulletin,  January,  1914.) 


SAUSALITO 

Sausalito  (little  willow  grove),  the  diminutive 
of  sausal  (willow  grove),  or,  as  formerly  and  offi- 
cially written,  Saucelito  (little  willow,  from  sauce), 
is  on  the  west  shore  of  the  bay,  in  Marin  County, 
six  miles  northwest  of  San  Francisco.  This  is 
one  of  the  delightful  suburban  towns  around  the 
bay,  where  business  men  of  San  Francisco  have 
their  homes. 


218 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


MARIN  COUNTY 

Of  Marin  County,  separated  from  San  Fran- 
cisco by  the  Golden  Gate,  and  noted  for  the 
beauty  of  its  scenery,  we  get  the  story  from 
General  M.  G.  Vallejo.  It  appears  that  in  1815 
or  '16,  an  exploring  party  from  San  Francisco  had 
a  fight  with  the  Licatiut  tribe,  so-called  from  a 
certain  root  used  by  them  as  food,  especially  in 
the  Petaluma  Valley.  During  this  light  the  chief 
was  captured  and  carried  to  San  Francisco,  but 
afterwards  escaped,  and  kept  up  constant  hos- 
tilities in  Petaluma  Valley.  He  was  finally  con- 
verted to  Christianity,  and  did  good  service  for 
the  whites  as  ferryman  on  the  bay,  and  on  account 
of  his  skill  in  na\igating  these  waters,  they  called 
him  El  Marincro  (the  sailor);  it  is  thought  that 
the  name  of  Marin  County  is  a  corruption  of 
this  word.  A7  Marincro  died  at  the  mission  of 
San  Rafael  in  1834. 


219 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


TIBURON 

Tiburon  (shark),  is  on  the  Marin  County  shore, 
opposite  San  Francisco.  It  has  been  facetiously 
suggested  that  this  name  may  have  been  derived 
from  "sharks"  of  the  land  variety,  but  it  probably 
came  from  some  story  connected  with  those  of 
the  sea. 


SAN  RAFAEL 

Even  in  this  land,  so  prodigal  with  its  flowers 
from  its  northern  to  its  southern  borders,  San 
Rafael,  the  county-seat  of  Marin  County,  fifteen 
miles  north  of  San  Francisco,  is  notable  for  the 
exceeding  beauty  of  its  gardens,  where  the  lily 
and  the  rose  bloom  from  year's  end  to  year's 
end. 

Its  patron,  St.  Raphael,  "is  considered  the 
guardian  angel  of  humanity.  He  was  the  herald 
who  bore  to  the  shepherds  the  'good  tidings  of 
great  joy  which  shall  be  for  all  people',  and  is 
especially   the  protector  of   the  young,  the  pil- 

220 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


grim  and  the  traveler."  The  "herald  of  great 
joy"  seems  peculiarly  fitting  as  the  protector  of 
a  place  where  nature  has  done  so  much  for  the 
"joy  of  living." 

The  mission  of  San  Rafael  Arcdngel  (St.  Raphael 
the  Archangel),  founded  in  1817,  has  now  dis- 
appeared, not  a  vestige  remaining  of  it. 

A  spur  of  the  Coast  Range  in  Southern  Cali- 
fornia bears  the  name  of  the  San  Rafael  Mountains. 


BENICIA 

Benicia  (a  surname),  is  the  name  of  a  town  in 
Solano  County,  on  the  north  side  of  Carquinez 
Strait,  twenty-eight  miles  northeast  of  San  Fran- 
cisco. Its  story  may  best  be  told  in  the  words  of 
General  Sherman,  in  the  following  quotation  from 
his  Memoirs  :  "We  found  a  solitary  adobe  house, 
occupied  by  Mr.  Hastings  and  ]iis  family,  cm- 
bracing  J)r.  Seni])le,  the  i)r()])riet()r  of  the  ferry. 
The  ferry  was  a  ship's  boat,  with  a  lateen  sail, 
which  could  carry  six  or  eight  horses.  It  took  us 
several  days  to  cross  over,  and  during  that  time 
we  got  well  acquainted  w  ilh  the  doctor,  who  was 

223 


PLACE     NAMES     OF      CALIFORNIA 


quite  a  character.  He  was  about  seven  feet  high. 
Foreseeing,  as  he  thought,  a  great  city  on  the  bay 
somewhere,  he  selected  Carquinez  Straits  as  its 
location,  and  obtained  from  General  Vallejo  title 
to  a  league  of  land,  on  condition  of  building  a  city 
to  b  ar  the  name  of  General  Vallejo's  wife,  Fran- 
cist,  Benicia.  Accordingly,  the  city  was  first 
call  Francisca.  At  this  time,  where  San  Fran- 
cisco )w  is  was  known  as  Verba  Buena;  now  some 
of  the  chief  men  of  that  place,  knowing  the  im- 
portance of  a  name,  saw  their  danger,  and  so 
changed  the  name  to  San  Francisco.  Dr.  Semple 
was  so  outraged  at  their  changing  the  name  to 
one  so  nearly  like  his  town  that  he,  in  turn, 
changed  his  town's  name  to  the  other  name  of 
Mrs.  Vallejo,  and  Benicia  it  has  been  to  this 
day." 

LAS  PULGAS  RANCHO 

Las  Pulgas  Rancho  (the  fleas  ranch),  is  near 
Redwood  City.  The  story  of  this  place,  with  its 
unpleasantly  suggestive  name,  although  of  little 
importance  in  itself,  is  told  here  for  the  light  it 
throws  upon   the  manners  and   customs   of   the 

224 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


original  dwellers  in  the  land.    Father  Engelhardt, 
in  his  History  of  the  California  Missions,  describes 
their  way  of  living  thus:    "Their  habitations  were 
primitive,  in  summer  often  but  a  shady  spot,  or 
mere  shelter  of  brush.    Their  winter  quarters  con- 
sisted of  a  flimsy  structure  of  poles  fixed  ir  "the 
ground,  and  drawn  together  at  the  top,  at  a  1      ,ht 
of  ten  or  twelve  feet.    The  poles  were  interA       en 
with  small  twigs,  and  the  structure  then  c     ered 
with  tules,  or  tufts  of  dried  grass.    In  some  places 
these  dwellings  were  conical  in  shape,  in  others 
oblong,  and  their  size  ranged  according  to  the 
number  of  people.    At  a  distance  they  resembled 
large  bee-hives,  or  small  hay-stacks.    On  one  side 
there  was  an  opening  for  a  door,  at  the  top  another 
for  smoke.     Here  the  family,  including  relatives 
and    friends,   huddled   around    the   fire,   without 
privacy,  beds  or  other  furniture.    A  few  baskets, 
a  stone   mortar  or   two,   weapons,   some  scanty 
rags  of  clothing,  food  obtained  from  the  hunt,  or 
seeds,  were  kept  here.    All  refuse  food  and  bones 
were  left  where   they  were  dropped,  giving  the 
earth  floor  the  appearance  of  a  dog-kennel.    Fleas 
and  other  vermin  abounded  in  this  mass  of  filth, 
which  soon  became  too  offensive  even  for  savages, 

225 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


and   they   adopted   the   very   simple   method   of 
setting  fire  to  the  hut  and  erecting  another." 

After  reading  this  description,  we  are  not  sur- 
prised when  Father  Crespi  tells  us  that,  having 
arrived  at  a  deserted  Indian  village,  and  some  of 
the  soldiers  having  rashly  taken  refuge  in  the  huts 
for  the  night,  they  soon  rushed  out  with  cries  of 
"las  pulgas!  las  pulgas!''  (the  fleas!  the  fleas!). 
He  goes  on  to  say,  "for  this  reason,  the  soldiers 
called  it  the  Rancheria  de  las  Pulgas"  (the  village 
of  the  fleas),  a  name  borne  by  the  ranch  to  this 

day. 

La  Perouse,  in  his  Voyage  Autour  du  Monde, 
says  the  padres  were  never  able  to  change  this 
form  of  architecture  common  to  the  two  Cali- 
fornias.  The  Indians  said  they  liked  open  air, 
and  that  it  was  convenient,  when  the  fleas  became 
too  numerous,  to  burn  the  house  and  construct 
a  new  one,  an  argument  not  without  merit. 


POINT  LOBOS 

Point  Lobos  (seal  point,  from  loho  marino,  sea- 
wolf),  is  just  outside  of  the  Golden  Gate,  on  the 

226 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


south  side,  near  the  spot  where  the  seals  crawHng 
about  on  the  rocks  have  long  been   one  of  the 

chief  attractions  of  the  famous  Cliff  House. 


SUPPLEMENTARY  LIST 

Alamo  (cottonwood  tree),  is  the  name  of  a 
place  in  Contra  Costa  County,  twenty-four  miles 
northeast  of  San  P>ancisco. 

Aharado  (a  surname),  that  of  one  of  the  first 
governors  of  the  state.  Alvarado  is  a  village  in 
Alameda  County,  on  Alameda  Creek,  twenty-four 
miles  southeast  of  San  Francisco.  Juan  Bautista 
Alvarado  was  a  central  figure  in  California  history. 
He  was  born  at  Monterey,  February  14,  1809, 
and  from  '27  on  occupied  various  official  positions, 
including  that  of  governor  of  the  state.  Bancroft 
says  of  his  character  and  appearance:  *Tn 
physique  Don  Juan  Bautista  was  of  medium 
stature,  stout  build,  fair  complexion,  and  light 
hair;  of  genial  lcini)eraincnl,  courteous  manners, 
and  rare  powers  of  winning  friends.  There  was 
much  in  his  character  to  praise,  much  to  condemn. 
He  was  a  man  of  dissipated  habits,  and  engaged 

227 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


in  intrigues,  but  in  his  favor  it  may  be  said  that 
he  had  more  brains,  energy  and  executive  ability 
than  any  three  of  his  contemporaries  combined; 
he  was  patriotic  and  with  good  intentions  toward 
his  country,  honorable  in  private  dealings,  and 
never  enriched  himself  by  his  intrigues.  He  was 
not  personally  guilty  of  having  plundered  the 
missions,  only  responsible  through  being  governor 
at  that  time.  The  accusations  made  against  him 
of  an  unjust  policy  towards  foreigners  were  entire- 
ly false." 

Bolinas,  the  name  of  a  town  in  Marin  County, 
delightfully  situated  on  Bolinas  Bay,  eighteen 
miles  northwest  of  San  Francisco.  Bolinas  is 
probably  a  corruption  of  Baulines,  an  Indian  word 
of  unknown  meaning.  A  land  grant  called  Los 
Baulines  was  located  at  the  same  place,  and  was 
probably  the  name  of  an  Indian  village. 

Point  Bonito  (pretty  point),  is  the  southern 
extremity  of  Marin  County,  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Golden  Gate. 

Carquinez  is  the  name  of  the  strait  flowing 
between  the  counties  of  Contra  Costa  and  Solano, 
and  connects  San  Pablo  Bay  with  Suisun  Bay. 
The  strait  is  eight  miles  long,  and  at  its  narrowest 

228 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


part  nearly  a  mile  wide.  All  the  waters  flowing 
through  the  great  central  valley  of  the  state  from 
the  Sierra  Nevada  pass  through  this  strait. 
According  to  the  scientists  the  name  Carquinez  is 
derived  from  Karkin,  the  name  of  an  Indian 
village  in  that  region,  but  Dr.  Vallejo  has  an- 
other story.  He  says  the  commandant  at  Mon- 
terey, who  was  a  man  with  some  classical  educa- 
tion, named  it  from  the  Greek  word  karkin, 
crab, because  of  the  report  made  by  the  Lieutenant 
Vallejo  expedition  of  having  found  a  great  number 
of  little  crabs  there.  {Memoirs  of  the  Vallejos, 
edited  by  James  H.  Wilkins,  San  Francisco  Bul- 
letin, January,    1914.) 

Contra  Costa  (opposite coast),  so-called  on  account 
of  its  original  position  directly  opposite  San 
Francisco.  It  should  be  explained  that  the  name 
Contra  Costa,  which  scarcely  seems  ai)i)r(,)i)riatc 
in  its  present  a])plication,  was  originally  applied 
to  the  whole  of  the  coast  opposite  San  Francisco. 
Afterwards  the  i)art  dirertly  facing  San  Francisco 
was  cut  off  to  form  Alameda  County,  thus  des- 
troying the  significance  of  the  name  Contra  Costa. 

Martinez  (a  surname),  is  the  name  of  the  county- 
scat  of  Contra  Costa  Count  w  and  is  on    llu'  south 

229 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


shore  of  Suisun  Bay,  thirty-six  miles  northeast  of 
San  Francisco.  Ignacio  Martinez  was  a  native 
of  the  city  of  Mexico,  born  in  177  a.  He  was  a 
mihtary  officer  under  the  Mexican  government  in 
California,  and  was  commandant e  at  San  Fran- 
cisco from  1822  to  '27.  Bancroft  says  of  him: 
"He  was  not  popular  as  an  officer,  being  haughty 
and  despotic,  but  as  a  rancher  he  is  spoken  of  as 
a  very  courteous  and  hospitable  man.  The  town 
of  Martinez  takes  its  name  from  him  or  his 
family." 

Montara  Point  and  Montara  Mountains  are  in 
the  western  part  of  San  Mateo  County.  Montara 
is  a  surname. 

Olema,  said  to  be  an  Indian  word  meaning 
"coyote,"  is  the  name  of  a  towoi  in  Marin  County, 
one  mile  from  the  head  of  Tomales  Bay,  and 
thirty-five  miles  northwest  of  San  Francisco. 

Pacheco  (a  surname),  that  of  a  pioneer  family 
of  California.  The  town  of  Pacheco  is  in  Contra 
Costa  County,  thirty  miles  northeast  of  San 
Francisco.  Although  Governor  Romualdo 
Pacheco,  of  whom  Bancroft  says  that  "his  record 
as  a  citizen,  in  respect  of  character,  attainments 
and  social  standing  was  a  good  one,"  was  the  most 

230 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


prominent  member  of  the  family,  the  town  was 
not  named  in  his  honor,  but  for  Salvio  Pacheco, 
a  man  who  served  in  many  military  and  civil 
offices.  "He  spent  his  life  on  Mount  Diablo 
Rancho,  on  which  is  the  town  bearing  his  name." 

Pescadero  (fishing  place),  is  in  a  fertile  valley 
of  San  Mateo  County,  on  the  coast  about  forty- 
four  miles  south  of  San  Francisco.  There  are  a 
number  of  Pcscaderos  in  the  state. 

Pinole  is  said  to  be  an  Aztec  word,  applied  to 
any  kind  of  grain  or  seeds,  parched  and  ground. 
Of  this  flour  a  very  appetizing  sort  of  gruel  was 
made.  The  town  of  Pinole  is  in  Contra  Costa 
County,  twelve  miles  west  of  IMartinez.  It  is  the 
site  of  extensive  powder  works.     See  page  239. 

Portold  (a  surname),  is  the  name  of  a  town  in 
San  Mateo  County,  and  was  named  in  honor  of 
the  celebrated  discoverer  of  San  Francisco  Bay. 

Potrero  (pasture  ground),  is  one  of  the  districts 
of  San  I'rancisco.  This  is  only  one  of  the  many 
Polreros  in  the  state. 

Presidio  is  a  word  used  b\-  llic  Si)aniar{ls  in  tlie 
double  meaning  of  prison  or  niiHlary  jwst.  It 
may  be  that  the  custom  of  using  convicts  as 
soldiers,  prevalent  with  the  Spanish,  had  something 

231 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


to  do  with  this  double  usage  of  the  word.  The 
Presidio  of  San  Francisco,  now  a  regular  military 
post  of  the  United  States,  although  still  retaining 
its  Castilian  name,  is  picturesquely  and  delight- 
fully situated  on  the  north  end  of  the  peninsula. 
There  is  also  a  government  presidio  at  Monterey. 

Point  Reyes  (kings  point),  was  named  by  Viz- 
caino in  honor  of  the  "three  wise  men,"  or  "holy 
kings,"  because  it  was  discovered  on  the  day  of 
their  devotion.  This  point  is  in  Marin  County 
and  is  the  outer  point  of  Drake's  Bay,  where  the 
noted  adventurer  is  supposed  to  have  made  his 
anchorage,  and  where  Cermenon  was  wrecked. 

Rodeo  (round-up  of  cattle).  Rodeos  were  held, 
and  in  some  parts  of  the  state  still  take  place,  for 
the  purpose  of  separating  and  branding  the  cattle 
"belonging  to  individual  owners,  an  operation 
decidedly  necessary  when  pastures  were  unfenced, 
and  in  early  days  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
features  of  California  life.  The  village  of  Rodeo 
is  in  Contra  Costa  County. 

San  Anselmo  (St.  Anselm),  is  in  Marin  County. 

San  Bruno,  a  village  near  San  Francisco,  was 
named  for  St.  Bruno,  the  founder  and  first  abbot 
of  the  Carthusian  Order.     This  order  of  monks 

232 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


is  among  the  most  severe  in  its  rules,  requiring 
almost  perpetual  silence  of  its  members.  Its 
devotees  are  only  permitted  to  speak  together 
once  a  week.  They  never  eat  flesh,  and  are  com- 
pelled to  labor  constantly. 

San  Geronimo  (St.  Jerome),  is  the  saint  usually 
pictured  as  accompanied  by  a  lion,  in  commemo- 
ration of  the  well-known  story  of  the  removal  of  a 
thorn  from  the  foot  of  one  of  those  beasts  by 
Jerome,  and  the  devotion  of  the  lion  to  him  after- 
wards. San  Geronimo  is  the  name  of  a  small 
stream  in  Marin  County,  noted  for  its  salmon 
fisheries. 

San  Gregorio  (St.  Gregory),  is  in  San  Mateo 
County,  twenty-four  miles  southwest  of  Redwood 
City.  St.  Gregory  was  a  noble  Roman  who  devoted 
his  wealth  to  charity,  and  turned  his  home  into  a 
hospital  and  monastery.  He  was  elected  to  the 
high  olTice  of  Pope,  and  became  the  c()m])()ser 
of  wluit  is  called  from  him  the  "Gregorian  Chant." 

San  Lcandro  (St.  Leander),  is  in  Alameda 
County,  on  San  Leandro  Creek,  sixteen  miles 
southeast  of  San  Francisco.  St.  Leander  was  at 
one  time  Bisho])  of  Se\ille,  and  is  one  of  ihc  patron 
saints  of  that  city. 

233 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


San  Lorenzo  (St.  Lawrence),  was  a  saint  who 
suffered  martyrdom  by  being  roasted  on  a  gridiron. 
The  legend  relates  that  he  said  to  his  tormentors, 
"I  am  now  sufficiently  cooked  on  this  side,  turn 
me  over  and  roast  me  on  the  other."  San  Lorenzo 
is  in  Alameda  County,  twenty  miles  southeast  of 
San  Francisco. 

San  Mateo  (St.  Matthew),  is  the  name  of  a 
county  bordering  on  San  Francisco  Bay,  and  of  a 
town  on  the  west  shore  of  the  bay,  twenty-one 
miles  south  of  San  Francisco.  St.  Matthew  was  a 
Hebrew  by  birth,  and  the  author  of  the  book  of 
the  Scriptures  that  bears  his  name. 

San  Pablo  (St.  Paul) ,  is  in  Contra  Costa  County, 
on  San  Pablo  Bay,  fifteen  miles  northeast  of  San 
Francisco.  One  of  the  legends  concerning  St. 
Paul  is  that  "the  church  called  'San  Paolo  delle 
Tre  Fontane,'  near  Rome,  is  built  over  three 
fountains  which  are  said  to  have  sprung  up  at 
the  three  places  where  the  head  of  St.  Paul  fell 
and  bounded,  after  being  cut  off  by  the  execu- 
tioner. It  is  said  that  the  fountains  vary  in  the 
warmth  of  the  water, — the  first,  or  the  one  where 
the  head  fell,  being  the  hottest;  the  next,  or  that 
of  the  first  bound,  cooler;  and  the  third  still  cooler." 

234 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


San  Quentin  (properly  San  Quintin)  is  a  village 
in  Marin  County,  on  the  west  shore  of  San  Fran- 
cisco Bay,  eleven  miles  north  of  San  Francisco. 
This  place,  where  the  forbidding  walls  of  the 
State's  Prison  shut  out  the  light  of  California's 
glorious  sun  from  the  unfortunates  enclosed  there, 
very  fittingly  bears  the  name  of  a  saint  whose 
gloomy  story  runs  thus:  "San  Quintin  was  the 
son  of  Zeno.  He  became  converted  and  gave  up  a 
high  command  which  he  held  in  the  Roman  army, 
in  order  to  preach.  He  labored  especially  in 
Belgium,  and  suffered  death  by  being  impaled 
on  an  iron  spit." — {Stories  of  the  Saints.)  It  is 
probable,  however,  that  the  town  was  not  directly 
named  for  this  saint,  but  received  the  name  in- 
directly from  Point  Quintin,  on  the  Marin  coast, 
which  was  so-called  from  an  Indian  chief  of  that 
region  who  had  been  thus  christened  by  the 
Spaniards.. 

San  Ramon  (St.  Raymond),  is  in  Contra  Costa 
County,  nine  miles  east  of  Haywood.  "St.  Ray- 
mond belonged  to  the  Order  of  Mercy,  and 
labored  for  the  captives  among  the  Moors.  By 
the  Mahometans,  among  whom  lie  was  long  a 
captive,  for  the  ransom  of  his  Christian  brethren, 

235 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


his  lips  were  bored  through  with  a  red-hot  iron, 
and  fastened  with  a  padlock,"  an  effective,  if 
cruel  method  of  preventing  him  from  preaching 
the  Christian  faith. 

Siinol  (a  surname).  Sunol  is  a  town  in  Alameda 
County,  thirty-six  miles  southeast  of  San  Fran- 
cisco. In  Fremont's  Memoirs  he  refers  to  Don 
Antonio  Sunol,  probably  a  member  of  the  same 
family  for  whom  this  town  is  named. 

Tocaloma  is  a  delightful  secluded  glen  and  creek 
in  Marin  County,  not  far  north  of  San  Francisco, 
where  a  hunting  and  fishing  preserve  is  main- 
tained. The  word  is  Indian,  but  its  meaning  has 
not  been  ascertained. 

Tomales  Bay  is  an  inlet  of  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
extending  southeastward  into  Marin  County. 
It  is  fourteen  miles  long.  The  village  of  Tomales 
is  on  the  bay  of  the  same  name,  fifty-five  miles 
northwest  of  San  Francisco.  The  name  Tomales 
is  a  Spanish  corruption  of  the  Indian  lamal  (bay), 
a  word  which  came  to  be  applied  to  the  natives 
in  the  neighborhood  of  San  Francisco  Bay. 

Vallejo  (a  surname),  is  the  name  of  a  place  in 
Solano  County.  The  Vallejos  were  among  the  most 
prominent    of    the    California    pioneer    families. 

236 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


''The  founder  of  the  family  was  Ignacio  Vicente 
Ferrer  Vallejo,  born  at  JaHsco,  Mexico,  in  1748. 
He  came  of  a  family  of  pure  Spanish  blood,  and  of 
superior  education.  The  most  distinguished  of 
his  large  famil}'  was  Mariano  Guadalupe,  born 
at  Monterey  in  1808.  Don  Mariano  served  with 
great  ability  in  various  capacities  under  the 
Mexican  go\'ernment,  and  was  at  one  time  Corn- 
mandanie  General  of  California.  He  was  the 
founder  of  Sonoma,  and  it  was  to  his  untiring 
efforts  that  the  development  of  the  north  was 
largely  due.  He  foresaw  the  fate  of  his  country, 
and  finally  cast  in  liis  lot  with  the  United  States, 
for  which  he  seems  to  have  been  but  ill-repaid. 
I  have  found  none  among  the  Californians  whose 
public  record  in  respect  of  honorable  conduct, 
patriotic  zeal,  executive  ability,  and  freedom  from 
petty  prejudices  of  race  or  religion  or  sectional 
politics  is  more  evenly  favorable  than  his." — 
(Bancroft.) 


237 


X 

NORTH  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO 

SONOMA 

Sonoma,  the  name  of  the  northern  county,  and 
of  the  town  in  the  beautiful  Sonoma  Valley, 
forty-five  miles  north  of  San  Francisco,  is  of 
doubtful  origin.  It  is  probable  that  it  comes  from 
Indian,  rather  than  Spanish  sources.  In  the 
native  dialect  of  that  region  there  is  the  con- 
stantly recurring  ending  tso-iioma,  from  tso  (the 
earth),  and  noma  (village), — hence,  tsonoma 
(earth  \illagc  or  earth  place).  The  name  was 
given  b\-  missionaries  to  a  chief  of  the  Indians 
there,  and  later  a]:)plied  to  all  ihc  Indians  at  the 
mission,  i'loni  Indian  sources  it  seems  there  was 
a  captain  among  them  who  was  commonly  called 
Sonoma,  but  who  was  known  Ijy  a  different  name 
among  his  own  people. — (University  of  Cali- 
fornia Publications  in  American  Archaeolog}'  and 
Technology.) 

The  name  Sonoma  is  e.\])laincd  in  a  dilTercnt 

241 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


way  by  Dr.  Vallejo,  who  says  it  was  named  for 
an  Indian  chief  called  Sono,  a  word  signifying 
"nose,"  given  to  the  chief  as  his  appellation  be- 
cause of  the  very  large  development  of  that 
feature  of  his  face.  The  sufhx  ma  is  said  by  Dr. 
Vallejo  to  mean  "valley"  or  "land,"  and  thus 
Sonoma  would  bear  the  meaning  of  "nose  valley," 
or  "nose  land," — {Memoirs  of  the  Vallejos,  edited 
by  James  H.  Wilkins,  San  Francisco  Bulletin, 
January,  19 14.) 

It  has  been  said  that  Sonoma  means  "valley 
of  the  moon,"  in  reference  to  the  shape  of  the 
valley,  but  there  is  probably  more  of  poetry  than 
of  truth  in  this  story. 

At  this  place,  San  Francisco  de  Solano,  the  last 
of  the  great  chain  of  missions,  was  founded 
July  4,  1823.  The  mission  buildings  have  been 
put  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation  and  the  church 
has  been  restored  by  the  state. 

NAPA 

Napa  is  the  name  of  a  county,  river  and  city, 
the  county  adjacent  to  San  Pablo  Bay,  into  which 
the  river  falls.     The  town  is  the  county-seat  of 

242 


2.     »-^ 


C/3 

C 


r, 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Napa  County,  and  is  on  the  river  of  the  same  name, 
about  thirty-nine  miles  northeast  of  San  Fran- 
cisco. The  Napa  Soda  Springs  are  an  interesting 
natural  feature  of  this  place. 

Napa,  accented  in  some  of  the  old  documents 
as  Xapd,  was  the  name  of  an  Indian  tribe  who 
occupied  that  valley,  said  to  have  been  one  of  the 
bravest  of  the  California  tribes,  and  who  con- 
stantly harassed  the  frontier  posts.  The  ent're 
tribe  was  practically  wiped  out  by  smallpox  in 
1838. 

According  to  S.  A.  Barrett,  in  the  University 
of  California  Publications  in  American  Archaeol- 
ogy and  Technology,  there  is  a  Pomo  Indian 
word,  }iapa,  meaning  "harpoon  point,"  between 
which  and  the  name  of  the  town  of  Napa  there 
may  be  some  connection. 

Dr.  Vallejo  says  the  suffix  pa  signifies  prox- 
imity, and  that  Napa  means  "near  mother,"  or 
"near  home,"  or  "mother-land,"  and  that  accord- 
ing to  tradition  Napa  Valley  was  the  cradle  of  the 
Suysun  ra.cc.  (Memoirs  oj  the  Vallcjos,  edited 
b\-  James  11.  W'ilkins,  San  Francisco  Bulletin, 
January,  1914.) 


245 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


CARNE  HUMANA 

Among  the  names  of  the  old  Spanish  land 
grants  are  many  that  hold  a  suggestion  of  inter- 
esting and  sometimes  tragic  tales,  now  lost  in  the 
dim  shadows  of  the  past.  Of  such  is  Came 
Humana  (human  flesh),  the  name  of  a  grant  in 
Napa  County,  near  St.  Helena.  This  spot  may 
have  been  the  scene  of  one  of  those  horrible  acts 
of  cannibalism  to  which  the  Indians  of  the  entire 
Southwest  were  quite  generally  addicted.  Cap- 
tain Fages,  in  his  diary  of  one  of  the  expeditions 
to  San  Francisco  Bay,  mentions  that  this  practice 
prevailed  among  the  Indians  of  that  region  to  a 
certain  extent,  but  seems  to  have  been  confined 
to  the  eating  of  the  bodies  of  enemies  slain  in 
battle,  and  only  the  relatives  of  the  slayer  were 
permitted  to  take  part  in  the  abhorrent  feast. 

SANTA  ROSA 

Santa  Rosa  (St.  Rose),  the  county-seat  of 
Sonoma  County,  is  fifty-seven  miles  northwest  of 
San  Francisco. 

246 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


An  interesting  story  is  told  of  Santa  Rosa  de 
Lima,  said  to  be  the  only  canonized  female  saint 
of  the  New  World,  She  was  born  at  Lima,  in 
Peru,  and  was  distinguished  for  her  hatred  of 
vanity,  and  her  great  austerity,  carrying  these 
characteristics  to  such  an  extreme  that  she  des- 
troyed her  beautiful  complexion  with  a  compound 
of  pepper  and  quicklime.  When  her  mother 
commanded  her  to  wear  a  wreath  of  roses,  she  so 
arranged  it  that  it  was  in  truth  a  crown  of  thorns. 
Her  food  consisted  principally  of  bitter  herbs,  and 
she  maintained  her  parents  by  her  labor,  working 
all  day  in  her  garden  and  all  night  with  her  needle. 
The  legend  relates  that  when  Pope  Clement  X 
was  asked  to  canonize  her,  he  refused,  exclaiming: 
^^ India  y  Santa!  Asi  como  Uneven  rosasV^  (An 
Indian  woman  a  saint  I  That  may  happen  when 
it  rains  roses!)  Instantly  a  shower  of  roses  began 
to  fall  in  the  Vatican,  and  did  not  cease  until  the 
Pope  was  convinced  of  his  error.  This  saint  is  the 
patroness  of  America,  and  is  represented  as  wear- 
ing a  tiiorny  crown,  and  holding  in  Iut  hand  the 
figure  of  liic  infant  Jesus,  which  rests  on  full- 
blown roses. — (Slorics  of  the  Saints.) 


247 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


MENDOCINO  COUNTY 

Mendocino  County,  in  the  northwestern  part  of 
the  state,  is  distinguished  for  its  extensive  forests 
of  redwoods.  The  main  belt  of  these  trees 
extends  through  this  county,  and  they  may  here 
be  seen  in  their  highest  development.  They  vary 
in  height  from  loo  to  340  feet,  and  reach  a  diam- 
eter of  from  two  to  sixteen  feet,  having  a  red, 
fibrous  bark  sometimes  a  foot  in  thickness.  Not- 
withstanding their  great  size,  the  delicacy  of  their 
foliage,  which  takes  the  form  of  flat  sprays,  gives 
them  a  graceful,  fern-like  appearance.  The  age 
of  mature  redwoods  is  said  to  range  from  500  to 
1300  years.  The  special  characteristics  of  the 
wood  of  these  trees  are,  its  durability  when  buried 
in  the  soil,  and  its  resistance  to  fire.  Commer- 
cially it  is  valuable  for  many  purposes,  being  pre- 
ferred to  steel  for  water  supply  conduits,  and,  in 
the  form  of  saw-dust,  found  to  be  better  than 
cork  for  packing  fresh  grapes. — (Notes  from  The 
Trees  of  California,  by  Professor  Willis  Linn 
Jepsen,  of  the  University  of  California.) 

Probably   the  first   written   mention   of   these 

248 


THEIR     iMEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


trees  occurs  in  the  diary  of  Caspar  de  Portola,  the 
discoverer  of  San  Francisco  Bay,  whose  attention 
was  attracted  to  them  while  on  his  way  up  the 
coast,  and  from  whom  they  received  the  name  of 
pah  Colorado  (redwood).  Altogether,  the  credit 
of  their  discovery  seems  to  belong  to  Portola, 
although  it  has  been  given  by  some  persons  to 
Archibald  Menzies,  who  wrote  a  description  of 
the  trees  in  1795. 

The  village  of  Mendocino  is  on  the  coast,  about 
130  miles  northwest  of  San  Francisco.  The  name 
was  first  applied  to  the  cape,  which  was  discovered 
by  Juan  Rodriguez  Cabrillo,  in  1542,  and  named 
by  him  for  Don  Antonio  de  Mcndoza,  first  viceroy 
of  New  Spain. 

KLAMATH 

Klamath  is  the  name  of  a  village  in  Humboldt 
County,  but  is  particularly  known  as  aj)i)Hed  to 
the  Klamath  River,  which  flows  in  a  deep  and 
narrow  canyon  through  tlie  counties  of  Siski}-()u 
and  Humboldt. 

The  word,  in  its  different  forms  of  Klamalli, 
Tlamctl,  and  Clamct,  is  the  name  by  which  these 

249 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Indians  were  known  to  the  Chinooks,  and  through 
them  to  the  whites,  their  proper  designation  in 
their  own  language  being  Lutuami. — (Bancroft's 
Native  Races,  Vol.  i ,  page  444.) 

The  meaning  of  the  word  has  not  been  posi- 
tively ascertained,  although  it  is  thought  by 
ethnologists  to  be  a  possible  corruption  of  Maklaks 
(people,  community, — hterally,  the  encamped). 
The  Klamaths  were  a  hardy  people,  who  had 
many  slaves  captured  from  other  tribes.  The 
slave  trade  seems  to  have  been  carried  on  quite 
extensively  among  the  California  Indians. 


MODOC  COUNTY 

Modoc,  the  county  in  the  northeastern  corner 
of  the  state,  is  notable  as  having  been  the  home 
of  the  only  Cahfornia  tribe  that  ever  caused 
serious  trouble  to  the  United  States  Government. 
The  Modoc  wars  are  a  matter  of  history. 

The  Modocs  were  a  fierce  tribe  of  Indians  who 
lived  at  the  head-waters  of  Pit  River,  and  the 
name  is  thought  by  some  persons  to  mean  "head 
of    the    river,"    or    "people,    community,"    but 

250 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


ethnologists  are  of  the  opinion  that  it  means 
"south  people,"  probably  used  by  tribes  living 
north  of  the  Modocs.  Bancroft,  quoting  from 
Steele,  in  Indian  xAffairs  Report  of  1864,  page  121, 
says:  "The  word  Modoc  is  a  Shasta  Indian  word, 
and  means  all  distant,  stranger,  or  hostile  Indians, 
and  became  applied  to  this  tribe  by  white  men  in 
early  days  from  hearing  the  Shastas  refer  to  them 
by  this  term."  It  does  not  appear  that  Bancroft 
had  any  genuine  scientific  authority  for  this 
statement. 

Powers,  in  his  Tribes  of  California,  states  that 
some  persons  derive  this  name  from  Mo-dok-us, 
the  name  of  a  former  chief  of  the  tribe  under 
whose  leadershij)  they  seceded  from  the  Klam- 
ath Lake  Indians  and  became  an  independent 
tribe.  As  it  was  common  for  seceding  bands  to 
assume  the  name  of  their  leader.  Powers  is  inclined 
to  accept  this  explanation  of  the  name. 


SHASTA 

To  account   for  llu'  iianic  Sliasia,  a  number  of 
theories  ha\c   been   ad\anccd,    no   one   ol    which 

251 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


seems  to  be  positively  established.  According 
to  the  Bureau  of  Ethnology,  "Shasta  may  be  a 
corruption  of  Sus-ti-ka,  apparently  the  name  of  a 
well-known  Indian  living  about  1840  near  the 
site  of  Yreka.  The  name  was  applied  to  a  group 
of  small  tribes  in  Northern  California,  extending 
into  Oregon,  who  were  soon  extinguished  by  the 
development  of  mining  operations." 

Bancroft,  in  his  Amative  Races,  says,  "Shasta 
was  apparently  the  name  of  a  tribe  living  about 
1840  near  Yreka,  a  tribe  made  up  of  several 
groups.  They  were  a  sedentary  people,  living  in 
small  houses,  similar  to  those  in  use  by  the  Indians 
on  the  coast  immediately  to  the  west.  Their  food 
was  made  up  of  acorns,  seeds,  roots,  and  fish, 
particularly  salmon.  The  salmon  was  caught  by 
net,  weir,  trap,  and  spear.  Their  arts  were  few. 
They  had  dug-out  canoes  of  a  rather  broad, 
clumsy  type.  The  bow  was  their  chief  weapon, 
and  their  carving  was  limited  to  rude  spoons  of 
wood  and  bone.  Painting  was  little  used,  and 
basketry  was  limited  to  basket  caps  for  the 
women,  and  small  food  baskets  of  simple  form. 
The  tribe  soon  succumbed  to  the  unfavorable 
environment  of   the  mining  camp,   and  is  now 

252 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


almost  extinct  ....  The  Shasta  Indians 
were  known  in  their  own  language  as  WeoJiow, 
a  word  meaning  'stone  house,'  from  the  large 
cave  in  their  country." 

"Shas-ti-ka  was  probably  the  tribal  name  of 
the  Shasta  Indians.  Wai-re-ka  (mountain)  was 
their  name  for  Mt.  Shasta." — (Powers'  Tribes  of 
California.) 

Another  theory  advanced  is  that  Shasta  is  a 
corruption  of  the  Russian  word  tchastal,  (white, 
or  pure  mountain),  and  still  another  that  it  comes 
from  the  French  chaste,  (pure),  but  it  is  likely 
that  its  resemblance  to  these  words  is  purely 
accidental,  and  that  its  origin  is  Indian. 

Whatever  may  be  the  derivation  of  its  name, 
there  is  no  question  that  Mount  Shasta,  with  its 
snow-capped  summit,  has  but  few  rivals  for 
scenic  beauty  among  its  mountain  sisterhood. 
It  is  an  extinct  volcano,  with  a  double  peak,  and 
rises  to  a  height  of  14,^80  feet.  There  are  minor 
glaciers  on  the  northern  slope.  I">emont  says  of 
it:  "The  Shastl  peak  stands  at  the  head  of  the 
lower  valley,  rising  from  a  base  of  about  one 
thousand  feet,  out  of  a  forest  of  heavy  timber. 
It  ascends  like  an   immense  column   upwards  of 


'■:):> 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


14000  feet  (nearly  the  height  of  Mont  Blanc), 
the  summit  glistening  with  snow,  and  visible, 
from  favorable  points  of  view,  at  a  distance  of  140 
miles  down  the  valley." 

On  a  United  States  map  of  date  of  1848,  drawn 
by  Charles  Preuss  from  surveys  made  by  Fremont 
and  other  persons,  the  name  appears  spelled  as 
Tshastl. 

Mount  Shasta  is  in  Siskiyou  County,  and  is 
the  most  conspicuous  natural  feature  in  that 
part  of  the  state. 


SISKIYOU  COUNTY 

Except  that  it  is  of  Indian  origin,  nothing 
authentic  has  been  obtained  concerning  Siskiyou, 
the  name  of  the  county  in  the  extreme  north  of 
the  state.  Several  popular  theories  have  been 
advanced,  one  to  the  effect  that  Siskiyou  means 
"lame  horse."  If  that  be  true  the  word  must  have 
been  introduced  into  the  Indian  language  after 
the  coming  of  the  Spaniards,  since  horses  were 
unknown  to  the  Indians  before  that  period. 
Another  story,  perhaps  more  pleasing  than  true, 

256 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


runs  as  follows:  "On  the  summit  of  a  mountain 
in  Oregon,  just  over  the  divide,  there  is  a  beautiful, 
level  spot,  watered  by  cool  springs,  which  over- 
looks the  country  for  miles  around.  Here  the 
powerful  Shasta,  Rogue  River,  and  Klamath 
tribes  used  to  meet  to  smoke  and  indulge  in  danc- 
ing and  games.  They  called  the  place  Sis-ki-you, 
the  'ccuncil  ground'." 

Siskiyou  County  is  notable  for  its  mountain 
scenery,  and  includes  within  its  borders  the 
famous  Mount  Shasta. 


TRINITY  COUNTY 

Trinity  County  received  its  name  from  Trinidad 
Bay,  which  was  discovered  and  named  by  Ca])tain 
Bruno  P^zeta,  on  Trinity  Sunday,  in  the  year 
1775.  Trinidad  is  the  Spanish  word  meaning 
Trinity. 

Trinity  Ri\er  was  so-named  through  llic  mis- 
taken behef  that  it  emjHied  into  Trinidad  Bay. 

Trinidad  is  also  the  name  of  a  xillage  in  Hum- 
boldt County,  on  the  ocean  short',  t\\cnt\-  miles 
north  of  I-AU-eka. 

257 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


YREKA 

Yreka,  the  name  of  the  county-seat  of  Siskiyou 
County,  is  an  Indian  word,  of  which  the  spelUng 
has  probably  been  corrupted,  perhaps  in  a  spirit 
of  facetiousness,  from  the  original  Wai-ri-ka  to  its 
present  eccentric  form.  Various  theories  have  been 
offered  in  explanation  of  the  word,  but  the  only 
one  apparently  based  on  scientific  data  seems  to 
be  that  it  means  "north  place."  One  writer 
advances  the  whimsical  explanation  that  the  word 
was  formed  by  the  transposition  of  the  letters 
in  "bakery,"  but  fails  to  explain  what  becomes  of 
the  letter  "b."  This  is,  of  course,  but  an  idle 
invention. 

Yreka  is  said  by  Powers,  in  his  Tribes  of  Cali- 
fornia, to  be  the  Indian  word  for  "mountain," 
especially  applied  to  Mt.  Shasta.  Its  former 
spelling  was  Wai-ri-ka.  Here  is  a  contradiction 
between   scientists. 


258 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


SUPPLEMENTARY  LIST 

Agua  Caliente  (hot  water,  hot  springs),  a  village 
in  Sonoma  County,  forty-five  miles  north  of  San 
Francisco. 

Altiiras  (heights),  the  county-seat  of  Modoc 
County,   no  miles  north  of  Reno. 

Point  Arena  (sandy  point),  is  the  name  of  the 
cape  on  the  Mendocino  coast,  and  of  the  village  in 
that  county,  no  miles  northwest  of  San  Francisco. 

Bodega  (a  surname),  that  of  its  discoverer,  Don 
Juan  de  la  Bodega  y  Quadra,  Captain  of  the 
schooner  Sonora,  who  sailed  into  Bodega  Bay 
October  3,  1775.  This  bay,  and  the  town  of 
Bodega  Roads  are  in  Sonoma  County,  about 
sixty-four  miles  northwest  of  San  Francisco. 

Point  Cahrillo  (a  surname),  that  of  the  cele- 
brated Spanish  explorer,  Juan  Rodriguez  Cabrillo. 

Calistoga,  one  of  those  h\brid  words  of  which 
California  has  too  manw  This  word  was  the 
invention  of  Sanuul  iiraiinan,  an  carl)'  settler, 
and  is  comijouiided  of  the  lirst  syllable  of  Cali- 
fornia and  the  last  of  Saratoga.  It  is  given  here 
lest  it  be  mistaken  for  Indian  or  Spanish. 

259 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Cazadero  (hunting-place) . 

Chileno  (Chilean,  native  of  Chile). 

Punta  Delgada  (thin  or  narrow  point).  See 
Punta  Gorda. 

Cape  Fortiinas  (cape  fortunes).  Fortuna  is  a 
village  in  Humboldt  County,  twelve  miles  south 
of  Eureka. 

Del  Norte  (of  the  north),  is  the  name  of  the 
county  in  the  extreme  northwestern  corner  of  the 
state. 

Garcia  (a  surname),  the  name  of  a  creek  in 
Mendocino  County. 

Punta  Got  da  (thick  or  broad  point).  Punta 
Gorda  and  Punta  Delgada  are  adjacent  points 
on  the  northern  coast  whose  contrast  in  shape  is 
indicated  by  their  names.    See  Punta  Delgada. 

Gualala,  a  village  in  Mendocino  County,  forty 
miles  west  of  Cloverdale.  This  is  an  Indian  word, 
"probably  from  walali,  a  generic  term  of  the  Pomo 
language,  signifying  the  meeting-place  of  the 
waters  of  any  in- flowing  stream  with  those  of  the 
stream  into  which  it  flows,  or  with  the  ocean. 
The  present  spelling  is  probably  influenced  by 
the  Spanish." — (S.  A.  Barrett,  in  California  Pub- 
lications of  Archaeology  and  Ethnology.) 

260 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Hoopa,  a  village  in  Humboldt  County,  on  the 
Trinity  River,  was  named  for  the  Hupa  Indians, 
a  tribe  on  the  lower  Trinity  River.  Hoopa 
Mountain  was  named  in  the  same  way. 

Point  Laguna  (lagoon  point). 

Oro  Fino  (fme  gold),  is  the  name  of  a  \illagc  in 
Siskiyou  County,  twenty-five  miles  southwest  of 
Yreka.  This  name  is  in  contrast  to  the  place 
called  Oro  Grande  (coarse  gold),  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  state. 

Petaliima,  the  name  of  a  town  in  Sonoma 
County,  forty-two  miles  northwest  of  San  Fran- 
cisco. Petaluma  was  the  name  of  an  Indian 
village  situated  near  the  site  of  the  ])resent  town 
on  a  low  hill,  and  according  to  S.  A.  Barrett 
the  word  is  compounded  of  prla  (llatj,  and 
lu)na  (back),  making  Petaluma  (llat  hack),  but 
Dr.  Vallejo  has  another  explanation  of  its  mean- 
ing. He  holds  that  the  suffix  ma  means  "valley" 
or  "land,"  and  that  Petaluma  is  a  combination 
of  three  Suysun  words,  Pc-la/ii-nid,  signifying 
"Oh!  fair  valley,"  or  "Oh!  lair  land."  (Memoirs 
of  the  Vallejos,  edited  1)\-  James  H.  W'ilkins,  San 
Francisc  Bulletin,    Januar\-,    k;i4.) 

I^omo  is  northeast    of   Ukiah.     "Porno  was  an 

261 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Indian  village  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Russian 
River,  in  the  southern  end  of  Potter  Valley,  a 
short  distance  south  of  the  post-ofhce  at  Porno. 
The  word  is  an  ending,  meaning  'people  of,  village 
of'."— (S.  A.  Barrett.) 

Tomales  Bay  is  just  north  of  Drake's  Bay,  in 
Marin  County.  The  word  is  a  Spanish  corruption 
of  the  Indian  tamal  (bay). 

Ukiah  is  the  county-seat  of  Mendocino  County, 
and  is  on  the  Russian  River,  no  miles  northwest 
of  San  Francisco.  "The  word  is  said  to  be  derived 
from  the  Indian  yokaia,  yo  (south),  and  ka-ia 
(valley),  the  name  of  a  village  about  six  miles 
southeast  of  the  present  town  of  Ukiah." 


262 


THE 
fO  CENTRAL  VALLEY, 


,.y 


XI 
THE  CENTRAL  VALLEY 

TEHAMA  COUNTY 

Tehama  County  lies  at  the  extreme  northern 
end  of  the  great  Central  Valley  of  the  state. 
There  is  a  village  of  the  same  name  in  the  county, 
on  the  Sacramento  River,  twelve  miles  southeast 
of  Red  Bluff. 

The  name  Tehama  was  derived  from  an  Lidian 
tribe,  but  the  meaning  of  it  has  not  been  ascer- 
tained. Two  definitions  have  been  offered, — 
"high  water,"  in  reference  to  the  overflowing  of 
the  Sacramento  River,  and  "low  land,"  but  these 
may  be  among  those  attempts  to  account  for  our 
names  by  making  the  name  fit  the  circumstances, 
a  method  which  has  resulted  in  many  errors.  All 
that  can  be  positively  stated  is  that  the  word  is 
of  Indian  origin. 

COLUSA 

Culiisa  is  a  county  in  ihc  norlluTii  pari  of  the 
Central  Valley,  and  has  a  county-seat  of  the  same 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


name,  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Sacra- 
mento River,  sixty-five  miles  northwest  of  Sac- 
ramento. 

This  name  appears  as  Coins  on  the  land  grant 
located  at  that  place,  and  is  said  by  Powers,  in 
his  Tribes  of  California,  to  be  a  corruption  of 
Ko-ru-si,  a  tribal  name,  a  more  reasonable  ex- 
planation than  any  other  that  has  been  offered. 
General  Will  Green,  said  to  have  known  the  tribe 
well,  was  of  the  opinion  that  Colusa  meant  "the 
scratchers,"  in  allusion  to  a  strange  custom  among 
these  people  of  scratching  one  another's  faces. 
While  it  is  true  that  the  prevalence  of  this  custom 
is  mentioned  by  the  Spaniards,  Captain  Fages 
referring  to  it  in  terms  of  great  distaste,  there  is 
no  scientific  corroboration  of  that  definition  for 
the  word  Colusa. 

YUBA 

Yuba  is  the  name  of  a  county  in  the  Central 
Valley,  of  Yuba  City,  the  county-seat  of  Sutter 
County,  and  of  the  Yuba  River,  which  is  formed 
by  the  union  of  three  branches  rising  in  the  Sierra 
Nevada. 

266 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


The  name  Yuba  was  first  applied  to  the  river, 
the  chief  tributary  of  the  Feather.  The  theory 
has  been  advanced  that  it  received  the  name  of 
Uba,  or  Uva,  the  Spanish  word  for  grapes,  from 
an  exploring  party  in  1824,  in  reference  to  the 
immense  quantities  of  vines  loaded  with  wild 
grapes  growing  along  its  banks,  Uba,  becoming 
corrupted  into  Yuba,  but  Powers,  in  his  Tribes  of 
California,  says  Yuba  is  derived  from  a  tribe  of 
Maidu  Indians  named  Yii-ba,  who  lived  on  the 
Feather  River.  This  is  probably  the  true  explan- 
ation of  the  name.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  Fremont, 
in  his  Memoirs,  speaks  of  it  as  Indian:  ''We 
traveled  across  the  valley  plain,  and  in  about 
sixteen  miles  reached  Feather  River,  at  twenty 
miles  from  its  junction  with  the  Sacramento,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Yuba,  so-called  from  a  \  illage  of 
Indians  who  live  on  it.  The  Indians  aided  us 
across  the  ri\cr  with  canoes  and  small  rafts.  Ex- 
tending along  the  bank  in  front  of  the  village 
was  a  range  of  wicker  cribs,  about  twelve  feet 
high,  partly  filled  with  what  is  there  the  Indians' 
staff  of  life,  acorns.  A  collection  of  huts,  sha])ed 
like  bee-hives,  with  naked  Indians  sunning 
themselves     on      the      tops,     and     these     acorn 

267 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


cribs,   are   the  prominent   objects   in   an   Indian 
village." 

YOLO 

Yolo  is  the  name  of  a  county  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  Central  Valley,  and  of  a  village  near 
Woodland. 

Yolo,  or  Yoloy,  was  the  name  of  a  Patwin  tribe, 
and  the  word  is  said  by  the  Bureau  of  Ethnology 
to  mean  "a  place  abounding  with  rushes." 

In  1884  there  were  still  forty-five  of  the  tribe 
living  in  Yolo  County. 


SOLANO 

This  county,  situated  in  the  Central  Valley, 
immediately  northeast  of  San  Francisco,  was 
named,  at  the  request  of  General  Mariano  Vallejo, 
in  honor  of  an  Indian  chief  of  the  Suisunes  who 
had  aided  him  in  war  against  the  other  natives. 
The  name  of  this  chief  in  his  own  tongue  is  said 
to  have  been  Sem  Yeto,  "the  Fierce  one  of  the 
Brave  Hand,"  or  Sum-yet-ho,  "the  Mighty  Arm," 
and,  judging  by  the  description  given  of  him  by 

268 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Dr.  Vallejo,  he  must  have  been  a  Hving  refutation 
of  the  common  beUef  that  the  CaHfornia  Indians 
were  invariabh'  squat  and  ill-formed,  for  he  was 
a  splendid  figure  of  a  man,  six  feet,  seven  inches 
in  height  and  large  in  j)roportion.  He  was  con- 
verted to  Christianity  and  received  the  name  of 
the  celebrated  missionary,  Francisco  Solano,  as 
well  as  a  grant  of  land  containing  17752  acres, 
known  as  the  Suisun  Grant. 


SUISUN 

Suisihi  Bay  is  a  body  of  navigable  water  con- 
nected with  San  Pablo  Bay  by  the  Carcjuinez 
Strait,  and  is  the  outlet  of  the  San  Joafjufn  and 
Sacramento  Rivers.  Suisun  City  is  in  Solano 
County,  on  a  slough,  about  fifty  miles  northeast 
of  San  I'rancisco.  Suisun  was  the  name  of  an 
Indian  \  illage  on  that  bay,  and  the  word  is  said 
by  some  i)ersons  to  mean  a  "big  exjmnse."  The 
name  was  ])robabl\'  first  gi\cn  to  the  land  grant. 

This  region  was  the  honu'  ot'  an  im])ortant  tribe 
of  Indians  who  h;i(l  an  interesting  and  tragic 
history.  Their  religious  capital,  it  su(  h  it  could 
be  called,  was  at  \apa,  near  which  j)lace  there  was 

269 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


a  certain  stone  from  which  they  beheved  one  of 
their  gods  had  ascended  into  upper  air,  leaving 
the  impress  of  his  foot  upon  the  stone.  General 
Vallejo  says  that  in  1817  a  military  expedition 
under  command  of  Lieutenant  Jose  Sanchez 
crossed  the  straits  of  Carquinez  on  rafts,  for  the 
double  purpose  of  exploring  the  country  and  re- 
ducing it  to  Christianity.  "On  crossing  the  river 
they  were  attacked  by  the  Suisun  tribe,  headed 
by  their  chief  Malaca,  and  the  Spaniards  suffered 
considerable  loss;  the  Indians  fought  bravely, 
but  were  forced  to  retire  to  their  rancheria,  where, 
being  hotly  pursued,  and  believing  their  fate 
sealed,  these  unfortunate  people,  incited  by  their 
chief,  set  fire  to  their  own  rush-built  huts,  and 
perished  in  the  flames  with  their  families.  The 
soldiers  endeavored  to  stay  their  desperate  reso- 
lution, in  order  to  save  the  women  and  children, 
but  they  preferred  this  doom  to  that  which  they 
believed  to  await  them  at  the  hands  of  their 
enemies."  The  Suisun  tribe  is  now  entirely  ex- 
tinct, a  large  number  having  been  carried  off  by 
a  frightful  epidemic  of  smallpox.  Dr.  Vallejo 
states  that  this  tribe,  a  people  described  by  him  as 
possessing   many   attractive    qualities,    was   esti- 

270 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


mated  by  his  father  to  number  at  least  40,000 
persons  in  1835.  After  the  great  epidemic,  which 
was  brought  down  by  the  Russians  from  the 
north,  and  which  lasted  during  the  three  consecu- 
tive years  of  1837-38-39,  there  were  barely  two 
hundred  left.  Thus  the  disappearance  of  the 
California  Indians  was  occasioned,  not  by  the 
white  man's  bullets  or  fire-water,  nor  even  by  the 
deteriorating  influence  of  a  changed  mode  of 
living,  nor  by  the  loss  of  native  sturdiness  through 
an  accjuired  dependence  ujxm  the  church,  but 
suddenl}'  and  fearfully  by  the  introduction  of 
the  hideous  diseases  of  cixilization. 


SACRAMENTO 

Sacramento  County  and  the  city  of  the  same 
name,  the  state  capital,  situated  near  the  center 
of  the  (ireat  Valley,  received  their  names  from 
the  river,  which,  following  the  usual  custom  of  the 
Spaniards,  was  christened  first,  being  named  in 
honor  of  the  Holy  Sacrament. 

Captain  Moraga  first  gave  the  name  of  Jesus 
Maria    to    the    main    ri\er,    calling    the    branch 

271 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Sacramento,  but  later  the  main  stream  became 
known  as  Sacramento,  and  the  branch  as  El  Rio 
de  las  Plumas  (the  river  of  the  feathers). 


COSUMNE 

Cosumne  is  the  name  of  a  village  in  Sacramento 
County,  about  twenty-two  miles  southeast  of 
Sacramento.  The  Cosumne  river  rises  in  El 
Dorado  County,  near  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and 
enters  the  Mokelumne  about  twenty-five  miles 
south  of  the  city  of  Sacramento. 

Cosumne  is  an  Indian  word,  said  to  mean 
"salmon,"  and  was  taken  from  the  tribe  who  lived 
upon  the  river.  The  frequent  occurrence  of  the 
ending  amni,  or  umne,  in  the  names  of  rivers  in 
the  Sierras  has  led  to  the  mistaken  conclusion 
that  the  sufhx  actually  means  "river,"  but  we 
have  the  statement  of  A.  L.  Kroeber,  Professor 
of  Anthropology  in  the  University  of  California, 
that,  "The  supposition  may  be  hazarded  that  the 
ending  amni,  or  umne,  is  originally  a  Miwok 
ending,  with  the  meaning  'people  of."  Thus  the 
meaning    of    Cosumne    may    be    "people    of    the 

272 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


village  of  Coso,"  and  of  ^Mokelumnc,  "people  of 
the  village  of  Mukkel,"  and  so  on  through  all  the 
names  having  this  ending. 

Powers,  in  his  Tribes  of  Califoniia,  says Kos-su m- 
mi  was  the  Indian  word  for  "salmon,"  and  that 
this  is  the  probable  origin  of  the  name  Cosumne. 

The  Bureau  of  Ethnolog>^  has  an  interesting 
paragraph  on  the  manners  and  customs  of  these 
Indians:  "They  went  almost  naked;  their  houses 
were  of  bark,  sometimes  thatched  with  grass,  and 
covered  with  earth;  the  bark  was  loosened  from 
the  trees  by  repeated  blows  with  stone  hatchets, 
the  latter  having  the  head  fastened  lo  the  handle 
with  deer  sinews.  Their  ordinary  weapons  were 
bows  and  stone-tipped  arrows.  The  women  made 
finely-woven  conical  baskets  of  grass,  the  smaller 
ones  of  which  held  water.  Their  amusements 
were  chiefly  dancing  and  foot-ball;  the  dances, 
however,  were  in  some  degree  ceremonial.  Their 
princi])al  deity  was  tlie  sun,  and  the  women  had  a 
ceremony  which  resembled  the  'sun  dance'  of 
the  tribes  of  the  up])er  Missouri.  'Hieir  dead  were 
buried  in  graves  in  the  earth.  The  tribe  is  now 
practically  extinct." — (Quoted  from  Rice,  in 
American  Anllir apology,  III,  259,  1890.) 

273 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


SAN  JOAQUIN 

San  Joaquin  County,  famous  for  its  vast  fields 
of  wheat,  is  a  part  of  the  great  Central  Valley, 
and  the  river  of  the  same  name  rises  in  the  Sierras, 
flows  north-northwest  through  the  valley  and 
unites  with  the  Sacramento  River  near  its  mouth. 

The  river  was  named  in  honor  of  St.  Joachim, 
the  father  of  the  Virgin.  Lieutenant  Moraga 
first  gave  the  name  to  a  rivulet  which  springs 
from  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and  empties  into  Lake 
Buena  Vista.  The  river  derived  its  name  from 
this  rivulet. 

The  rich  valley  of  the  San  Joaquin,  two  hundred 
miles  long  and  thirty  miles  wide,  with  its  wide,  tree- 
less expanses  where  the  wild  grasses  grew  rankly, 
was  once  a  paradise  for  game.  Fremont  says: 
"Descending  the  valley  we  traveled  among  mul- 
titudinous herds  of  elk,  antelope,  and  wild  horses. 
Several  of  the  latter  which  we  killed  for  food  were 
found  to  be  very  fat."  Herds  of  wild  horses  still 
range  in  California  and  Nevada,  and  are  some- 
times captured  for  sale,  fine  specimens  bringing 
high  prices. 

274 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


STANISLAUS 

Stanislaus  is  the  name  of  the  county  just  south 
of  San  Joaquin,  and  of  one  of  the  tributaries  of 
the  San  Joaqum  River. 

The  word  Stanislaus  is  said  to  be  derived  from 
an  Indian  chief  of  that  region,  who  became 
Christianized  and  was  baptized  under  the  Spanish 
name  of  Estauislao.  He  was  educated  at  Mission 
San  Jose,  but  became  a  renegade,  and  incited  his 
tribe  against  the  Spaniards.  In  1826  he  was  de- 
feated in  a  fierce  battle  on  the  banks  of  the  river 
now  bearing  his  name. 

Fremont  thus  describes  the  scenery  along  the 
Stanislaus:  ''Issuing  from  the  woods,  we  rode 
about  sixteen  miles  over  open  prairie  partly 
covered  with  bunch  grass,  the  timber  re-appearing 
on  the  rolling  hills  of  the  River  Stanislaus, 
in  the  usual  l)clt  of  e\'ergrcen  oaks.  The  level 
valley  was  about  forty  feet  below  the  up- 
land, aiitt  the  stream  sc\'ent\-  Nanls  broad, 
with  the  usual  t'crlik'  bottom  land  which 
was  covered  with  green  grass  among  large 
oaks.     We   encam{)cd    in  one  of    these  bottoms, 

275 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


in  a  grove  of   the   large   white   oaks  previously 
mentioned." 

MERCED 

Merced  (mercy),  is  the  name  of  the  county 
south  of  Stanislaus,  of  its  own  principal  stream, 
and  of  its  county-seat.  The  river  was  named  by 
the  Spaniards,  in  honor  of  the  Virgin,  El  Rio 
de  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Merced  (the  river  of  our 
Lady  of  Mercy).  This  name  was  given  to  the 
stream  by  the  Moraga  party  as  an  expression  of 
their  joy  and  gratitude  at  the  sight  of  its  sparkling 
waters,  after  an  exhausting  journey  of  forty  miles 
through  a  water-less  country. 

According  to  Fremont,  this  stream  was  called 
Auxumne  by  the  Indians:  'Tn  about  seventeen 
miles  we  reached  the  Auxumne  River,  called  by 
the  Mexicans  Merced  ....  We  encamped  on 
the  southern  side  of  the  river,  where  broken  hills 
made  a  steep  bluff,  with  a  narrow  bottom.  On  the 
northern  side  was  a  low  undulating  wood  and 
prairie  land,  over  which  a  band  of  about  three 
hundred  elk  was  slowly  coming  to  water,  feeding 
as  they  approached." 

276 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


The  Merced  River  is  notable  in  that  it  flows 
along  the  floor  of  the  Yosemite  Valley.  Like  all 
the  other  streams  that  have  their  rise  in  the 
Sierras,  its  character  in  its  upper  and  lower 
reaches  is  vastly  dissimilar.  In  the  days  of  its 
turbulent  youth  it  is  a  wild  and  boisterous  stream, 
and  in  the  \-oice  of  its  hissing,  roaring  waters  the 
wayfarer  hears  no  sound  of  "mercy,"  but  after  it 
makes  its  tremendous  plunge  down  the  western 
slope  of  the  Sierras,  and  debouches  upon  the  floor 
of  the  valley,  it  takes  on  a  serene  air  of  maturity, 
and  widens  into  a  ]:)lacid  river,  its  current  flowing 
sluggishl\-  between  low,  level  banks. 

MADERA  COUNTY 

Madera  (wood,  timl)cr),  is  the  name  of  the 
county  to  the  southwest  of  Stanislaus.  It  occupies 
a  stretch  of  fertile  land,  and  was  called  Madera 
by  the  Spaniards  on  account  of  its  heavy  growth 
of  timber. 

1  RKSXO  COIN  r\' 

Fresno  (ash-tree),  so-called  in  reference  to  the 
abundance  of   those   trees   in    that   region,   is   the 

277 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


name  of  a  county  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  in 
the  heart  of  the  grain  and  fruit  country.  Raisins 
and  wine  are  its  especial  products.  Its  capital 
city  and  principal  stream  also  bear  the  name  of 
Fresno. 

KINGS  COUNTY 

This  county,  now  appearing  under  its  English 
form,  originally  received  its  name  from  the  river, 
which  was  discovered  by  a  Spanish  exploring 
party  in  1805,  and  called  by  them  El  Rio  de  los 
Santos  Reyes  (the  river  of  the  Holy  Kings),  in 
honor  of  the  "three  wise  men." 

A  considerable  part  of  the  area  of  this  county 
was  at  one  time  covered  by  Tulare  Lake,  but  the 
shrinkage  of  that  body  of  water  through  the  with- 
drawal of  its  sources  of  supply  have  added  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  territory  occupied  by  its  waters 
to  the  arable  land  of  the  county.  This  subject 
is  further  discussed  under  the  head  of  Tulare. 

The  river  seems  to  have  been  known  at  one  time 
as  the  Lake  Fork,  by  which  name  Fremont  men- 
tions it  in  the  following  paragraph:  "We  crossed 
an  open  plain  still  in  a  southeasterly  direction, 

278 


KL  Rfo  m:  I. OS  s.wrns  rkyks  ctuv.  ri\  i;r  of 
riir;  iioi.\'  ki\(;si. 

"...    named  in  lioiior  of  the  tliict.-  wise  men." 


THEIR      MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


reaching  in  about  twenty  miles  the  Tulare  Lake 
river.  This  is  the  Lake  Fork,  one  of  the  largest 
and  handsomest  streams  in  the  valley,  being 
about  one  hundred  yards  broad,  and  having  per- 
haps a  larger  body  of  fertile  lands  than  any  of  the 
others.  It  is  called  by  the  Mexicans  El  Rio  de 
los  Reyes.  The  broad  alluvial  bottoms  were  well 
wooded  with  several  species  of  oaks.  This  is  the 
principal  affluent  of  the  Tulare  Lake,  a  strip 
of  water  which  receives  all  the  rivers  in  the 
upper  or  southern  end  of  the  valley." 


TULARE  COUNTY 

Tulare  (place  of  tules,  or  rushes),  is  the  name  of  a 
county  in  the  south-central  part  of  the  state,  of 
Tulare  Lake  in  Kings  County,  and  of  a  town  in 
the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  The  county  is  remarkable 
for  the  high  mountain  peaks  of  the  Sierra  Nevada, 
on  its  northeast  border.  Among  these  is  Mount 
Whitney,  about   14500  feet  in  height. 

Tulare  Lake,  in  Kings  County,  at  one  time  filled 
a  shallow  depression  about  thirty  miles  in  length, 
and  recei\e(l  through  a  number  of  small  streams 

281 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


the  drainage  from  the  southern  part  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  soon  losing  the  greater  part  of  this 
water  by  evaporation.  It  is  now  practically  dry, 
as  a  result  of  the  withdrawal  for  irrigation-,  pur- 
poses of  Kings  and  Kern  Rivers,  and  tb  *^^erri- 
tory  formerly  covered  by  it  has  been  to  a  great 
extent  placed  under  cultivation.  The  lake  was 
discovered  in  1773  by  Commandant  Fages, 
while  hunting  for  deserters  from  the  presidio  at 
Monterey,  and  called  by  him  Los  Tides  (the 
rushes),  from  the  great  number  of  those  plants 
with  which  it  was  filled.  In  181 3  Captain  Moraga 
passed  through  the  valley  of  this  lake,  and  named 
it  Valle  de  los  Tides  (valley  of  the  rushes). 


SUPPLEMENTARY  LIST 

Acampo  (common  pasture),  is  the  name  of  a 
village  in  San  Joaquin  County.    See  Final  Index. 

Arroyo  Buenos  Aires  (creek  of  the  good  airs), 
is  in  San  Joaquin  County, 

Caliente  (hot),  is  the  name  of  a  town  in  Kern 
County. 

Chico  (little),  is  the  name  of  a  town  in  Butte 

282 


MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


County,  ninety-six  miles  north  of  Sacramento. 
This  place  derives  its  name  from  the  Rancho 
Chico  (the  little  ranch),  of  which  General  John 
Bidwv.!^  was  the  original  grantee.  The  Arroyo 
Chic.  \nd  the  town  both  took  their  names  from 
the  ranch. — (Mr.  Charles  B.  Turrill.) 

ChowchiUa^  a  large  ranch  in  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley,  takes  its  name  from  the  Chowchilla 
Indians,  a  branch  of  the  Moquelumnan  family. 
Fremont  refers  to  this  name  under  a  somewhat 
different  spelling:  "The  springs  and  streams 
hereabout  were  waters  of  the  Chaucliiles  and 
Mariposas  Rivers,  and  the  Indians  of  this  xillage 
belonged   to   the   Chauckiles   tribe." 

Dos  Pahs  (two  sticks,  or  trees),  is  in  Merced 
County,  twenty  miles  southwest  of  Merced. 

Esparto  (feather-grass),  is  a  town  in  Yolo 
County. 

Esperanza  (hope),  is  in  Kings  County,  west  of 
Lake  Tulare. 

Hornitos  (little  ovens),  is  in  Mariposa  Count)', 
sixteen  miles  northwest  of  Mariposa.  An  attempt 
has  been  made  to  account  for  this  name  as  a 
reference  to  the  intense  heat  sometimes  ])revalent 
ill    that   region,   but   the  probable   origin   of   the 

283 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


name  is  that  given  by  Mr.  J.  P.  Gagliardo,  a 
resident  of  the  place,  who  says  it  was  derived 
"from  a  number  of  hornitos  built  here  by  the 
first  settlers,  who  located  here  about  the  early 
fifties."  Homos  (ovens),  of  brick  and  adobe, 
built  out-of-doors,  and  used  to  bake  the  bread 
for  several  families,  were  in  very  common  use 
among  the  first  Spanish  settlers  of  California. 
Ovens  were  also  used  by  the  Indians,  for,  instead 
of  eating  their  food  raw  or  imperfectly  cooked, 
they  used  quite  elaborate  methods  in  its  prepara- 
tion. Their  ovens  are  thus  described  in  the 
Handbook  of  American  Indians,  by  Dr.  Pliny  E. 
Goddard,  of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History:  "The  pit  oven,  consisting  of  a  hole 
excavated  in  the  ground,  heated  with  fire,  and 
then  filled  with  food,  which  was  covered  over  and 
allowed  to  cook,  was  general  in  America,  though 
as  a  rule  it  was  employed  only  occasionally,  and 
principally  for  cooking  vegetal  substances.  This 
method  of  cooking  was  found  necessary  to  render 
acrid  or  poisonous  foods  harmless,  and  starchy 
foods  saccharine,  and  as  a  preliminary  in  drying 
and  preserving  food  for  winter  use.  Most  of  the 
acorn-consuming    Indians    of    California    cooked 

284 


IN  THK  SIKRRA   M;\.\1).\S. 
'Kast  Vidcllf,  tin-  Alps  of  llu-  Kin^'  Kern  (li\i(lc. 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


acorn  mush  in  small  sand-pits.  The  soap-root 
was  made  palatable  by  cooking  it  in  an  earth- 
covered  heap.  The  Hupa  cook  the  same  plant 
for  about  two  days  in  a  large  pit  lined  with 
stones,  in  which  a  hot  fire  is  maintained  until 
the  stones  and  surrounding  earth  are  well  heated; 
the  fire  is  then  drawn,  the  pit  lined  with  leaves 
of  wild  grape  and  wood  sorrel  to  impro\'e  the 
flavor  of  the  bulbs,  and  a  quantity  of  the  bulbs 
thrown  in;  leaves  are  then  placed  on  top,  the 
whole  is  covered  with  earth,  and  a  big  fire  built 
on  top."  Mr.  Charles  B.  Turrill  states  that  "the 
meal  of  the  ground  acorns  was  placed  in  shallow 
hollows  in  the  sand  and  water  poured  on  it,  by 
which  means  the  bitter  principle  was  leached  out. 
Then  the  meal  was  placed  in  baskets  and  cooked 
by  putting  hot  stones  therein.  The  cooking  was 
done  in  tin-  basket,  not  in  llie  sand."  Other 
Indians  used  ])il  oNcns  for  baking  clams,  and  the 
Panamints  of  California  roasted  cactus  joints 
and  mescal  in  pits.  The  Pueblo  Indians  used 
dome-sha])e<l  o\xns  of  stone  ])lastered  with  clay, 
a  form  that  nia>-  have  been  imitated  l)\-  the 
S])aniards,  since  their  ovens  were  of  that  char- 
acter. 

287 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Modesto  (modest),  is  the  county-seat  of  Stanis- 
laus County,  and  is  thirty  miles  south  of  Stockton. 
According  to  residents  of  this  town,  "The  place 
was  first  named  Ralston  in  the  year  1870,  in 
honor  of  Mr.  Ralston,  who  was  then  a  very 
prominent  resident  of  San  Francisco,  and  presi- 
dent of  the  Bank  of  California.  He  was  so  modest 
that  he  preferred  that  some  other  name  be 
adopted,  so  the  name  was  changed  to  Modesto.'^ 
If  this  be  the  true  story,  it  was  surely  a  unique 
reason  for  the  naming  of  a  town. 

Oroville  (goldtown),  is  a  hybrid  word  made  up 
of  the  Spanish  oro  (gold),  and  the  French  ville 
(town).  Oroville  is  the  county-seat  of  Butte 
County,  and  is  on  the  Feather  River,  in  the  heart 
of  a  mining  and  fruit  region. 

Rio  Vista  (river  view),  is  in  Solano  County,  on 
the  Sacramento  River.  Modern.  Incorrect  con- 
struction.    It  should  be  Vista  del  Rio. 

Tehachapi,  an  Indian  word  of  which  the  mean- 
ing has  not  been  ascertained,  is  the  name  of  the 
mountain  pass  in  Kern  County  across  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  of  which  it  approximately  marks  the 
southern  limit,  and  of  a  town  in  the  same  county, 
thirty-five  miles  southeast  of  Bakersfield. 

288 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


"Tn  the  famous  Tahichapah  Pass  was  a  tribe 
called  by  themselves  Ta-Jii-cha-pa-han-na,  and 
l)y  the  Kern  Indians  Ta-hicli.  This  tribe  is  now 
extinct." — (Powers'  Tribes  of  Calij'ornia.) 

Vacaville  is  situated  in  a  beautiful  and  fertile 
valley  in  Solano  County.  It  received  its  name 
from  a  famil)-  named  Vaca,  who  were  at  one  time 
prominent  in  that  region.  Manuel  Vaca,  the 
founder  of  the  family,  was  a  native  of  New 
Mexico,  and  came  to  California  in  1841.  "He 
was  a  hospitable  man  of  good  repute." 


289 


XII 

IN  THE  SIERRAS 
THE  SIERRA  NEVADA 

The  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  California's 
wonder-land,  derive  their  name  from  sierra  (saw), 
and  nevada  (snowy), — descriptive  of  the  saw- 
toothed  outlines  of  the  summits  of  the  range,  and 
the  mantle  of  per[Detual  snow  that  covers  the 
highest  tops. 

The  term  Sierra  Madre,  absurdly  translated  by 
some  persons  as  "Mother  of  Christ,"  means,  of 
course,  "Mother  Sierra,"  that  is,  the  largest 
mountain  range  personified  as  the  mother  of  the 
smaller  ranges. 

"The  Sierra  Nevada  is  generally  considered  to 
extend  from  Tehachapi  Pass  in  ihc  south  to 
Lassen  Peak  in  the  north,  and  constitutes  the 
dividing  ridge  between  the  great  basin  on  the 
east,  to  which  it  falls  abru])tl_\-,  and  !he  San 
Joac(uin  and  Sacramento  \'alle\s  on  the  west. 
It  is  characterized  b}'  deej)  and   narrow   \alle\s, 

293 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


with  almost  vertical  walls  of  rock  thousands  of 
feet  in  height,  and  its  scenery  is  of  surpassing 
grandeur,  much  more  imposing  than  that  of  the 
Rockies.  Many  of  its  higher  summits  are  cov- 
ered with  perpetual  snow." — (Lippincott's 
Gazetteer.) 

PIT  RIVER 

Among  the  many  tributary  streams  that  carry 
the  waters  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  down  the  western 
slope  into  the  Sacramento,  the  Pit,  often  incor- 
rectly spelled  Pitt,  is  one  of  the  most  important, 
and,  although  not  properly  belonging  in  these 
pages,  is  included  for  the  sake  of  the  information 
to  be  gained  concerning  Indian  customs. 

The  natives  along  this  river  were  in  the  habit 
of  digging  pits  near  the  banks  to  catch  bear  and 
deer,  and,  on  occasion,  even  their  human  enemies. 
The  pits  were  dug  in  the  regular  trails  of  animals, 
twelve  to  fourteen  feet  deep,  conical  in  shape, 
with  a  small  opening  at  the  top,  covered  with 
brush  and  earth.  Signs,  such  as  broken  twigs, 
were  placed  as  a  warning  to  their  own  people, 
and  sharp  stakes  were  placed  in  the  bottom  to 

294 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


impale  any  creature  that  might  fall  in.  Another 
account  of  this  custom  is  given  in  Miller's  Life 
Among  the  Modocs:  "Pits  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet 
deep  were  dug,  in  which  natives  caught  man  and 
beast.  These  man-traps,  for  such  was  their 
primary  use,  were  small  at  the  mouth,  widening 
toward  the  bottom,  so  that  exit  was  impossible, 
even  were  the  victim  to  escape  impalement  upon 
sharpened  elk  and  deer  horns,  which  were  favor- 
ably placed  for  his  reception.  The  opening  was 
craftily  concealed  by  means  of  light  sticks,  over 
which  earth  was  scattered,  and  the  better  to 
deceive  the  unwary,  travelers'  footprints  were 
frequently  stamped  with  a  moccasin  in  the  loose 
soil."  It  was  from  these  Indian  })its  that  the 
river  received  its  name. 


PLUAIAS 

Plumas  (feathers),  is  the  name  of  a  county  in 
tlu'  northeastern  ]xirt  of  the  state.     It  is  drained 

by  the  I'catluT  Rix'cr,  which  Hows  throiii^fh  one 
of  the  deepest  and  most  pic  tiircs(|uc  canNons  in 
California.      The  count}-   is  characterized   b)-  its 

297 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


wild  and  rugged  scenery,  its  deep  canyons  and 
extensive  forests  of  evergreen  trees.  In  the 
northwest  corner  Lassen  Peak,  now  an  active 
volcano,  rises  to  a  height  of  10437  f^^t. 

The  county  derives  its  name  from  its  principal 
stream,  which  now  appears  under  its  English 
form  of  The  Feather,  but  which  was  originally 
named  El  Rio  de  las  Plumas  (the  river  of  the 
feathers),  by  Captain  Luis  A.  Argiiello,  who  led 
an  exploring  party  up  the  valley  in  1820,  and 
whose  attention  was  attracted  by  the  great  num- 
ber of  feathers  of  wild  fowl  floating  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  river.  Even  to  this  day  the  valley  of 
the  Feather  has  remained  a  favorite  haunt  of  the 
wild  ducks  and  geese,  as  will  be  attested  by  the 
many  hunters  who  seek  sport  there  during  the 
season.  By  an  inconsistency,  the  county  has 
retained  the  original  Spanish  name,  Plumas, 
while  that  of  the  river  has  been  Americanized. 
An  erroneous  and  extremely  far-fetched  expla- 
nation of  the  name  has  often  appeared  in  print 
to  the  effect  that  it  was  derived  from  a  fancied 
resemblance  between  the  spray  of  the  river  and 
a  feather. 


298 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


THE  AMERICAN  RIVER 

The  American  River,  another  of  the  names 
which  have  been  translated  from  the  original 
Spanish,  is  formed  by  three  forks  rising  in  the 
Sierra  Nevada,  and  empties  into  the  Sacramento 
at  the  site  of  the  city  of  that  name.  The  three 
branches  forming  it  run  in  deep  canyons,  some- 
times two  thousand  feet  in  depth,  and  the  scen- 
ery along  its  course  is  of  a  rugged  and  striking 
character. , 

The  ri\'er  was  originall}'  called  El  Rio  dc  los 
Americanos  (the  river  of  the  Americans),  prob- 
ably from  the  presence  on  its  banks  of  a  company 
of  western  trai)pers,  who  lived  there  from  1822  to 
1830,  and  no!  "because  it  was  the  usual  route  of 
travel  by  which  Americans  entered  the  state," 
as  is  stated  by  Bancroft  and  others. 

In  Fremont's  time  it  was  still  known  by  its 
Spanish  name,  by  which  he  refers  to  it  in  the 
following  paragra])h:  "Just  tlun  a  well-dressed 
Indian  came  up,  and  made  his  salutations  in  very 
well-s]K)ken  S])anish.  In  answer  to  our  iiKjuiries 
he  informed  us  Llial  we  were  upon  the  Rio  dc  los 

299 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Americanos,  and  that  it  joined  the  Sacramento 
River  about  ten  miles  below.  Never  did  a  name 
sound  more  sweetly!  We  felt  ourselves  among 
our  countrymen,  for  the  name  of  American,  in 
these  distant  parts,  is  applied  to  the  citizens  of 
the  United  States." 


EL  DORADO  COUNTY 

El  Dorado  (the  gilded  man).  Although  it  is 
known  to  most  people,  in  a  vague,  general 
way,  that  the  name  El  Dorado  was  given  to 
this  county  on  account  of  the  discovery  of 
gold  there,  the  romantic  tales  connected  with 
the  name  are  probably  not  so  well  known.  The 
Indians  of  Peru,  Venezuela,  and  New  Granada, 
perhaps  in  the  hope  of  inducing  their  oppressors 
to  move  on,  were  constantly  pointing  out  to  the 
Spaniards,  first  in  one  direction,  then  in  another, 
a  land  of  fabulous  riches.  This  land  was  said  to 
have  a  king,  who  caused  his  body  to  be  covered 
every  morning  with  gold  dust,  by  means  of  an 
odorous  resin.  Each  evening  he  washed  it  off, 
as  it  incommoded  his  sleep,   and  each  morning 

300 


i;i.   RIO  1)1.   l.AS   I'l.UMAS  (FEATIIl.R   RI\i;Rj. 

'To  this  day  the  valley  of  the  Feather  is  a  favorite  haunt  for  wild 

diuks  and  f^eese." 


THEIR     MEANING      AND      ROMANCE 


had  the  gilding  process  repeated.  From  this 
fable  the  white  men  were  led  to  believe  that 
the  country  must  be  rich  in  gold,  and  long, 
costly,  and  fruitless  expeditions  were  under- 
taken in  j)ursuit  of  this  ])hantom  of  El  Dorado. 
In  time  the  phrase  El  Dorado  came  to  be  ap- 
plied to  regions  where  gold  and  other  precious 
metals  were  thought  to  be  plentiful.  According 
to  General  Vallejo,  one  P'rancisco  Orellana,  a 
companion  of  the  adventurer  Pizarro,  wrote  a 
fictitious  account  of  an  El  Dorado  in  South 
America,  "a  region  of  genial  clime  and  never- 
fading  verdure,  abounding  in  gold  and  precious 
stones,  where  wine  gushed  forth  from  never- 
ceasing  springs,  wheat  fields  grew  ready-baked 
loaves  of  bread,  birds  ahead}'  roasted  flew  among 
the  trees,  and  nature  was  filled  with  harmony 
and  sweetness."  Although  old  Mother  Nature 
has  not  yet  provided  us  with  "bread  ready-baked" 
or  "birds  readx-roasted"  in  California,  her  gifts 
to  her  children  have  been  so  bountiful  ihal  they 
may  almost  be  compared  to  the  fabulous  tales  of 
El  Dorado,  the  gild(>d  man. 


.•)^.') 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


PLACER  COUNTY 

Placer,  the  county  in  the  Sierras  famous  for 
its  surface  gold-mining,  has  a  puzzHng  name  for 
which  no  satisfactory  explanation  has  yet  been 
found.  Although  it  has  been  used  m  Spanish 
countries  for  centuries  in  the  sense  of  surface 
mining,  dictionaries  remain  silent  upon  the  sub- 
ject. The  theory  often  advanced  that  the  word 
is  a  contraction  of  plaza  dc  oro  (place  of  gold), 
bears  none  of  the  marks  of  probability,  and 
another  that  it  means  "a  river  where  gold  is 
found"  is  not  supported  by  adequate  authority. 
One  old  Spanish  dictionary  gives  the  meaning 
of  placer  as  "a  sea  bottom,  level  and  of  slight 
depth,  of  sand,  mud,  or  stone,"  and  states  also 
that  the  word  is  sometimes  used  to  designate 
places  where  pearl  diving  is  carried  on.  It  may 
be  that  the  word  was  extended  from  this  usage 
to  include  placer  mining,  since  in  that  case  the 
gold  is  found  in  shallow  pockets  near  the  surface. 
This  theory  is  offered  here  as  a  mere  suggestion. 

Placer  County  has  some  of  the  most  striking 
mountain  scenery  in  the  state,  and  has  been  the 

304 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


theatre  of  many  remarkable  events  in  its  history, 
particularly  those  connected  with  the  "days  of 
'49."  In  the  town  of  Placerville,  the  county-seat 
of  El  Dorado  County,  there  is  an  instance  of  a 
change  of  name  from  English  to  Spanish  for  the 
better,  for  this  place  was  originally  called  Hang- 
town,  in  commemoration  of  the  hanging  of  certain 
'bad  men"  on  a  tree  there. 


THE  TRUCKEE  RIVER 

The  Triickee  River  rises  on  the  borders  of 
El  Dorado  and  Placer  Counties,  and  is  the  outlet 
of  Lake  Tahoe,  discharging  its  waters  into  Pyra- 
mid Lake  in  Nevada.  This  mountain  stream  is 
justly  celebrated  for  the  wild  charm  of  its  scenery. 
There  is  a  village  bearing  the  same  name,  in 
Nevada  County,  well-known  to  travelers  through 
being  on  the  regular  route  to  Tahoe.  At  this 
place  winter  sports,  tobogganing,  skiing,  skating, 
etc.,  are  pro\i(k'<l  lor  San  I'runciscans,  who  need 
to  travel  but  a  few  hours  to  exchange  their  rlime 
of  eternal  spring  for  the  deep  snows  of  the  Siirras. 

The    explanation    generally    accei)ted    for    the 

305 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


name  of  Truckee  is  that  it  was  so-called  for  an 
Indian,  by  some  accounts  described  as  a  Canadian 
trapper,  who  guided  a  party  of  explorers  in  1844 
to  its  lower  crossing,  where  the  town  of  Wads- 
worth  now  stands.  The  party,  who  were  suffering 
from  thirst,  felt  themselves  to  be  under  such 
obligations  to  the  Indian  for  having  guided  them 
to  this  lovely  mountain  stream,  with  its  crystal 
waters  and  abundance  of  fish,  that  they  gave  it 
his  name.  Of  this  Indian  it  is  said  that  "he  joined 
Fremont's  battalion,  and  was  afterwards  known 
as  Captain  Truckee;  he  became  a  great  favorite 
with  Fremont,  who  gave  him  a  Bible.  When  he 
died  he  asked  to  be  buried  by  white  men  in  their 
style.  The  miners  dug  a  grave  near  Como,  in 
the  croppings  of  the  old  Goliah  ledge.  Here  he 
was  laid  to  rest,  with  the  Bible  by  his  side." — - 
{History  of  Nevada  County.) 


LAKE  TAHOE 

Tahoe  is  another  of  the  Indian  names  whose 
meaning  can  not  be  ascertained  with  any  degree 
of  certainty.     The  definition  "Big  Water,"   the 

306 


U'' 


MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


tally    given,    is    considered    doubtful    by 
ists.     The  statement  has  been  made  by 
.'nt   Indians  now  living  on   the  banks  of 
that  the  word,  pronounced  Dd-o  by  them, 
leep"  and  "blue."     Yet  it  is  much  to 
kx  X  this  pearl  among  all  lakes  has  at  least 

beci  tunate  enough  to  receive  an  indigenous 
nam.  ^scaping  by  a  narrow  margin  the  ignomini- 
ous fate  of  being  called  Lake  Bigler,  for  a  former 
governor  of  the  state.  It  appears  that  Fremont 
was  the  first  to  give  to  this  body  of  water  a  name, 
and  it  is  shown  upon  his  map  under  the  rather 
indefinite  title  of  Mountain  Lake.  Afterward  it 
was  known  for  a  short  time  as  Lake  Bigler.  The 
story  goes  that  in  1859  Dr.  Henry  de  Groot,  while 
exploring  the  mountains,  learned  that  tali-00-ee 
meant  "a  great  deal  of  water,"  and  from  this 
Tahoe  was  evolved  as  an  appropriate  name,  Init 
did  not  become  attached  to  the  lake  until  the 
period  of  the  Civil  War.  During  that  time  the 
Reverend  Tliomas  Starr  King,  llic  famous  "war" 
clergyman  of  San  I'rancisco,  visited  the  lake,  and 
inspired  b\'  indignation  against  the  Democratic 
Governor  Higler,  whom  he  regarded  as  a  secession- 
ist, he  dehnitely  christened  it  Talioc,  for  which  we 

309 


PLACE      NAMES      OF       CALIFORNIA 


may  be  grateful  to  his  memory,  regardless  of  the 
motives  by  which  he  was  actuated. 

Tahoe  is  partly  in  Placer,  and  partly  in  El 
Dorado,  at  the  eastern  base  of  the  Sierra  Nevada, 
a  portion  of  its  waters  also  extending  into  the 
state  of  Nevada.  It  is  twenty-two  miles  long  and 
ten  wide,  and  has  an  elevation  of  6225  feet  above 
sea  level.  It  is  especially  remarkable  for  its  great 
depth,  being  over  1500  feet  deep. 


AMADOR  COUNTY 

Amador  (literally  "lover"),  but  in  this  case  a 
surname.  Amador  is  the  long,  narrow  county 
lying  between  Calaveras  and  El  Dorado,  and  was 
probably  named  in  honor  of  the  Amador  family, 
either  Don  Pedro  Amador,  or  his  son,  Jose  Maria. 
Pedro  Amador  is  said  to  have  been  a  "soldier  of 
fortune"  in  the  Spanish  army,  who  came  to  Cali- 
fornia in  1 77 1.  His  son,  Jose  Maria,  was  also  a 
soldier  and  a  renowned  Indian  fighter,  and  was 
known  to  be  living  as  late  as  1883. 


310 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


CALAVERAS 

Calaveras  (skulls),  is  the  name  of  a  county  in 
the  central  part  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  on  the 
eastern  border.  This  county  is  famous  for  its 
gold  and  copper  mines,  and  its  Giant  Sequoias. 
The  river,  to  which  the  name  of  Calaveras  was 
first  given,  rises  in  the  foothills  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  and  flows  southwest,  emptying  into  the 
San  Joaquin  about  fifteen  miles  below  Stockton. 

The  river  received  its  rather  lugubrious  name 

at  the  hands  of  Captain  Moraga,  who  led  the 

first    expedition    up    the    Sacramento    and    San 

Joafjuin  rivers.     In  his  diary,  Moraga  says  that 

the  river  tribes  fought  against  those  of  the  Sierra 

for  possession  of  the  salmon   in   the  stream,  and 

that    in    one  battle   as  many   as  three  thousand 

were    said   to   have  been   killed   and   left  on   the 

field.     A   great    num])er    of    skulls,   relics  of   this 

bloody  conflict,  were  found  b>-  Moraga  scattered 

along  the  creek  bed,  and  caused  him  to  give  it  the 

name  of  Lus  Calaveras.     W'c   find    in   Fremont  a 

corroborating  reference  to  I  lie  salmon  as  a  cause 

of  dissension  among  the   Indians  of  that  region: 

3" 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


'This  fish  had  a  large  share  in  supporting  the 
Indians,  who  raised  nothing,  but  hved  on  what 
nature  gave.  A  'salmon  water,'  as  they  named  it, 
was  a  valuable  possession  to  a  tribe  or  village, 
and  jealously  preserved  as  an  inheritance." 

Particular  interest  was  aroused  in  the  Indian 
relics  of  this  county  some  years  ago  by  the  finding 
of  the  celebrated  "Calaveras  skull,"  purporting 
to  have  been  taken  from  the  Tertiary  deposit, 
a  stratum  in  which  no  human  remains  had  ever 
before  been  discovered.  A  close  examination  into 
the  circumstances,  however,  caused  scientists  to 
look  with  great  doubt  upon  the  assertion  that  the 
skull  had  been  taken  from  the  Tertiary  deposit. 
In  the  Handbook  of  American  Indians,  published 
by  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  the  following 
reference  appears:  "Remains  of  aborigines  are 
plentiful  in  this  county,  embedded  in  ancient 
river  gravels,  from  which  gold  was  washed.  By 
some  scientists  these  remains  were  thought  to 
belong  to  the  Tertiary  Age,  but  their  resemblance 
to  the  modern  Indian  makes  this  doubtful.  The 
Calaveras  skull,  still  preserved  in  the  Peabody 
Museum  of  Archaeology  and  Ethnology,  at 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  was  said  to  have  come 

312 


SHORE  OF  LAKE  TAHOE. 
"  *  *  *  pearl  among  all  lakes.' 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


from  the  gravels  of  Bald  Mountain,  at  a  depth  of 
130  feet,  but  there  are  good  reasons  for  suspect- 
ing that  it  was  derived  from  one  of  the  limestone 
caves  so  numerous  in  that  region." 


TUOLUMNE 

Tuolumne  is  the  name  of  the  county  in  the 
Sierras  just  east  of  Calaveras,  and  of  the  river 
which  rises  at  the  base  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  and 
tlows  into  the  San  Joaquin,  twenty-iive  miles 
south  of  Stockton,  a  part  of  its  course  running 
through  a  deep  canyon. 

Here  we  have  another  of  the  river  names  ending 
in  iinnic,  already  discussed  under  the  heading  of 
Cosumne.  As  stated  before,  umnc  i)robal)l>'  means 
"people  of,"  and  it  is  held  by  some  authorities 
that  the  meaning  of  Tuolumne  is  "peo])le  of  the 
stone  houses,  or  caves."  Bancroft  maintains 
this  theory,  holding  that  the  name  is  a  corruption 
of  lalmalamne,  "a  grouj)  of  stone  huts  or  caves,  or 
collection  of  wigwams."  Objection  has  been 
raised  to  this  theory  on  the  ground  that  the 
Indians  of  CaHlornia  were  not  cave-dwellers,  but 

315 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


universally  lived  in  flimsy  huts  made  of  sticks 
and  grass.  This  objection  is  cleared  away  in  some 
measure  by  a  very  interesting  paragraph  in  the 
diary  of  Padre  Pedro  Munoz,  who  accompanied 
the  Gabriel  Moraga  expedition  of  1806  into  that 
region.  The  passage  in  question  relates:  "On 
the  morning  of  this  day,  the  expedition  went 
toward  the  east  along  the  banks  of  the  river,  and 
having  traveled  about  six  leagues,  we  came  upon 
a  village  called  TaMtamne.  This  village  is  situated 
on  some  steep  precipices,  inaccessible  on  account 
of  their  rough  rocks.  The  Indians  live  in  their 
sotanos  (cellars  or  caves) ;  they  go  up  and  come 
down  by  means  of  a  weak  stick,  held  up  by  one 
of  themselves  while  the  one  who  descends  slips 
down.  They  did  not  wish  to  come  down  from 
their  hiding-places,  and  for  me  the  ascent  was  too 
difficult.  This  village  probably  has  about  two  hun- 
dred souls,  judging  by  the  considerable  mass  which 
we  repeatedly  made  out  among  the  rocks  and  cor- 
ridors [or  ledges],  in  the  manner  of  balconies, 
which  the  precipice  made."  This  meeting  with 
the  cave-dwellers  occurred  at  a  spot  about  six 
leagues  from  the  Guadalupe  River,  after  the 
expedition  had  left  the  Merced.     It  is  not,   of 

316 


1  H  E  I  R      M  E  A  N  1  N  G     AND      R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


course,  to  be  inferred  from  this  circumstance  that 
the  Cahfornia  Indians  were  genuine  "cHff  dwell- 
ers," but  rather  that,  at  least  in  the  mountainous 
parts  of  the  state,  they  rnay  have  had  the  habit 
of  taking  refuge  in  natural  caves  from  inclement 
weather  or  attacks  of  enemies. 

As  to  the  pronunciation  of  the  word,  it  is  said 
that  the  Indians  called  it  Tii-ah-hlm-ne,  rather 
than   Tuohimnc,  which  is  the  general  usage. 


MARIPOSA 

Mariposa  (butterfly),  is  famous  as  the  county 
that  holds  within  its  borders  two  of  the  wonders 
of  the  earth,  the  Yosemite  Valley  and  the  (liant 
Sequoias.  Some  of  Ihcsc  Irees  are  three  hundred 
feet  high,  thirty  feet  in  diameter,  and  2400  years 
old,  having  unfolded  their  feathery  fronds  before 
Christ  came  ujjon  the  earth.  .According  to  Pro- 
lessor  Jej)sen,  "they  arc  the  direct  descendants 
of  the  species  dominant  in  tlie  Tertiary  Period," 
and  thus  are  a  li\  ing  reminder  of  the  plant  life  of 
that  dim  and  distant  past  of  which  the  animal 
liU'  is  ])i(tLn'ed  for  us  in  the  fossil  ri'niains  of  the 

.317 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


mammoth  and  saber- tooth  tiger  of  the  La  Brea 
asphalt  beds. 

Nearly  every  writer  who  has  attempted  to 
account  for  the  name  Mariposa  has  fallen  into 
the  error  of  ascribing  it  to  the  charming  little 
flower  called  the  Mariposa  lily.  Fremont,  with 
his  intense  appreciation  of  the  beauty  of  the  wild 
flowers  covering  the  whole  country  with  a  carpet 
of  many  hues  at  the  time  of  his  passage  over  the 
Sierra,  says:  "On  some  of  the  higher  ridges  were 
fields  of  a  poppy  which,  fluttering  and  tremulous 
on  its  long  thin  stalk,  suggests  the  idea  of  a 
butterfly  settling  on  a  flower,  and  gives  to  this 
flower  its  name  of  Mariposa  (butterflies) ,  and  the 
flower  extends  its  name  to  the  stream."  It  is 
almost  a  pity  to  demolish  such  a  pretty  story,  yet 
it  is  unavoidable,  for  the  true  explanation  is  at 
hand  in  the  diary  of  Padre  Muiioz,  who  accom- 
panied the  Gabriel  Moraga  expedition  of  1806 
into  the  Sierra.  He  says:  "This  spot  [not  far 
from  the  Merced  river],  was  called  Las  Mari- 
posas  (the  butterflies),  on  account  of  their  great 
multitude,  especially  at  night  and  in  the  morning, 
so  much  so  that  they  became  excessively  annoy- 
ing, carrying  their  desire  to  hide  from  the  rays  of 

318 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


the  sun  so  far  that  the}'  followed  us  everywhere, 
and  one  even  entered  into  the  ear  of  one  of  the 
leaders  of  the  expedition,  causing  him  a  great  deal 
of  annoyance,  and  not  a  little  trouble  in  getting 
it  out."  This  story  is  corroborated  by  the  fact 
that  at  the  present  day  cciually  great  numbers  of 
butterflies,  equally  annoying,  swarm  through  the 
mountain  forests  during  a  certain  part  of  the 
autumn. 

YOSEMITE 

Yosemite  (grizzly  bear,  not  lar^c  grizzly  bear, 
according  to  the  scientists),  said  to  liaxc  ])een 
called  Vohamitc  by  the  natives,  is  one  of  the  few 
Indian  names  whose  meaning  has  been  ascer- 
tained witli  a  reasonable  degree  of  certainty. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  Yosemite,  like  most 
Indian  words,  has  been  greatly  C()rru])ted  from 
its  original  form,  which  was  u-zi'i-mai-li,  o-so- 
uuii-ti  or  uh-zu-mai-li,  according  to  the  tribe  using 
it,  and  llu'  \alk'y  was  iK'wr  known  by  this  name 
to  the  Indians,  hut  ahva>s  as  A-uui-ni,  from  the 
name  ot"  their  i)rin(ii);il  village,  ("onsiflering  the 
great  alteration  of  the  name  from  its  natixc  form, 

321 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


it  does  not  seem  to  be  a  matter  of  vital  importance 
whether  it  shall  now  be  used  as  one  word,  Yosem- 
ite,  or  in  two  words,  Yo  Semite,  although  the 
latter  form  was  at  one  time  the  more  general 
usage,  and  is  greatly  preferred  by  some  persons. 
The  valley  was  discovered  in  1851  by  Major 
James  D.  Savage  of  the  United  States  army,  while 
chasing  the  Indians,  who  had  a  bad  habit  of 
sallying  forth  from  their  hiding-place  in  the 
valley  to  commit  depredations.  The  name  was 
chosen  by  Dr.  L.  H.  Bunnell,  surgeon  of  the  ex- 
pedition, who  tells  the  story  in  his  Discovery  of 
the  Yosemite.  He  gave  it  the  name  of  an  Indian 
tribe  hving  there  and  to  whom  this  name 
had  been  given  by  other  tribes,  they  calling 
themselves  Ah-wah-nee.  Their  chief,  Ten-ei-ya, 
said  that  when  he  was  a  young  man  the  name 
Yosemite,  or  Yohamite,  had  been  chosen  because 
the  tribe  lived  in  the  mountains  and  valleys  which 
were  the  favorite  resorts  of  the  bears,  and  because 
his  people  were  expert  in  killing  them.  He  also 
said,  perhaps  in  a  spirit  of  boasting,  that  the  name 
was  bestowed  upon  his  tribe  to  express  the  idea 
that  they  were  held  in  as  much  fear  as  the  bears. 
This   band   of   Indians   was   said   to   have   been 

322 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


originally  composed  of  outlaws  or  refugees  from 
other  tribes,  and  may  have  well  deserved  their 
evil  reputation. 

Indian  names,  few  of  which  can  be  scientifically 
defined,  have  been  given  to  many  peaks  and  water- 
falls in  the  valley.  In  the  folder  printed  by  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Company  more  or  less 
fanciful  definitions  are  given  for  these  names,  for 
which  there  is  no  foundation  in  fact  except  in  the 
case  of  Yosemite  itself  and  Iluuto,  which  really 
does  mean  "eye,"  though  not  "watching  eye." 
Tenaya  Peak  was  probably  named  for  the  Yosem- 
ite chief,  Ten-ei-ya.  The  definition  of  Pi-wa-ack 
as  "cataract  of  diamonds"  is  absurd  on  its  face, 
for  a  moment's  thought  will  remind  any  one  that 
diamonds  were  wholly  unknown  to  the  Indians 
of  that  time  and  place. 

"Ma-la  fthe  canyon),  a  generic  word,  in  explain- 
ing which  the  Indians  held  up  both  hands  to  de- 
note perpendicular  walls." — (Powers'  Tribes  of 
California.) 

"Tis-se-yak  is  the  name  of  an  Indian  woman  who 
figured  in  a  legend.  The  Indian  woman  cuts  her 
hair  straight  across  the  forehead  and  allows  the 
sides  to  drop  along  her  cheeks,  presenting  a  sriuarc 

323 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CAET'O 


face,    which    the   Indians   account    the   r 
female  beauty,  and  they  think  they  discc 
square  face  in  the  vast  front  of  South  T 
(Powers'  Tribes  of  California.)  i 

Cho-ko-nip-o-deh,  translated  as  "baby 
in    the    Southern    Pacific  folder,   means 
"dog-place"  or  "dog-house." — (Powers' 
California.) 

MONO 


Mono  is  the  name  of  a  county  on  tV  rn 

border  of  the  state,  and  of  the  lake  near  tf '  cern 

base  of  the  Sierra  Nevada.    This  lake  -  -teen 

miles  long  and  nine  miles  wide,  and  \  culiar 
in  having  no  outlet,  its  waters  bein|  rongly 
saline  and  alkaline.  It  lies  6730  feet  av;ove  sea- 
level  and  is  almost  completely  destitute  jf  animal 
life. 

This  name,  corrupted  from  Monache,  the  name 
of  the  Indians  of  this  region,  through  its  resem- 
blance to  the  Spanish  word  mono  (monkey),  has 
been  the  cause  of  considerable  confusion,  and  of 
a  number  of  extravagant  theories,  such  as  the 
supposed  existence  of  monkeys  in  that  country, 

324 


\i.k\.\i.  I  Ai.i.s  IN  nil;  ^()Sl•;MI^l•;  \  .\i.i.i;\'. 

"The  valley  was  called  by  the  Indians  Awnni,  from  llu'  name  of 
their  |)rinci[)al  \  illagc." 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


or  the  resemblance  of  the  natives  to  those  animals, 
but  the  similarity  between  the  two  words  is 
regarded  by  ethnologists  as  ])urely  accidental. 
The  meaning  is  obscure,  but  it  is  said  that  the 
name  was  applied  to  some  Shoshonean  tribes  of 
southeastern  California  by  their  neighbors  on  the 
west. 

TNYO 

Inyo,  a  word  of  unknown  meaning,  was  the 
name  of  a  tribe  of  Indians  in  the  Sierra.  Inyo 
County  is  on  the  eastern  Ijorder  of  the  state, 
adjacent  to  Nevada.  Its  largest  stream  is  the 
Owens  Ri\-er,  wliich  flows  into  Owens  Lake, 
another  body  of  saline  water  having  no  outlet. 
This  county  has  the  um'ii\ia])K'  distinction  of 
containing  witliin  its  boi-dcrs  the  ttTrible  "Death 
Valley,"  where  the  bones  of  so  man\-  unfortunates 
have  been  left  lo  whiten  under  the  desert  sun, 
and  which  still  claims  a  \ictim  now  and  then. 
This  desolate  x'allc}'  is  fort\'  miles  long,  King  far 
below  tin-  le\cl  of  the  sea,  is  (!e>lilule  of  all  \-ege- 
tation,  totally  without  water,  subject  to  terrific 
heat,  and  in  all  resi)ects  ui'll  deserves  its  funereal 

3^7 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


name.  Inyo  is  unique  in  containing  the  high- 
est and  lowest  points  in  the  United  States, 
Mount  Whitney  and  Death  Valley,  within  sight 
of  each  other.  In  other  parts  of  the  county  the 
mountain  scenery  is  of  remarkable  grandeur,  and 
the  gold  mines  in  which  it  is  unusually  rich  are 
still  worked  with  profit. 

AMARGOSA  RIVER 

Amargosa  (bitter),  is  the  very  appropriate 
name  of  a  river  of  Nevada  and  southeastern 
California  which  flows  into  Death  Valley,  some- 
times known  also  as  the  Amargosa  Desert.  The 
mountains  lying  northeast  of  the  river's  upper 
course  are  sometimes  called  the  Amargosa  Moun- 
tains. Fremont  gives  a  characteristic  picture  of 
this  dreary  country  in  the  following  paragraph: 
"We  traveled  through  a  barren  district,  where  a 
heavy  gale  was  blowing  about  the  loose  sand,  and, 
after  a  ride  of  eight  miles,  reached  a  large  creek 
of  salt  and  bitter  water,  running  in  a  westerly 
direction,  to  meet  the  stream  bed  we  had  left.  It 
is  called  by  the  Spaniards  Amargosa,  the  bitter 
water  of  the  desert." 

328 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


SUPPLEMENTARY  LIST 

Alta  (high),  is  a  village  in  Placer  County,  sixty- 
eight  miles  northeast  of  Sacramento,  two  miles 
from  the  great  American  Canyon.  The  altitude 
of  this  place  is  3607  feet  above  sea  level.  The 
name  is  modern  and  was  only  given  to  the  place 
after  the  building  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad. 

Cerro  Gordo  (large,  thick  hill),  is  the  name  of  a 
famous  mining  camp  in   Inyo  County. 

Cisco  is  a  town  in  Placer  County,  situated  at 
an  altitude  of  5934  feet  above  sea  level.  Cisco 
is  a  word  of  disjnited  origin.  It  has  been  said  to 
be  derived  from  the  Algonf(uin  word  risco,  mean- 
ing a  lish,  a  sort  of  oily  herring  found  in  the  Great 
Lakes,  but  it  seems  unlikely  that  such  a  name 
should  be  transported  all  the  way  from  the  (ireat 
Lakes  to  the  Sierras,  especially  as  no  fish  of  that 
kind  is  to  be  found  tluTc.  ()tluT  persons  believe 
llie  word  to  be  (kTi\C(l  from  the  Sjxinish  cisco 
(broken  jjieces  of  coal),  but  for  ihis  there  appears 
to  be  no  legitimate  reason,  in  the  History  of 
Placer  County  the  statement  is  made  that  the 
town   was  named   for  John   J.   Cisco,  at   one  time 

329 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


connected  with  the  United  States  Government, 
an  explanation  which  is  probably  the  true  one. 

Esmeralda  (emerald),  a  village  in  Calaveras 
County. 

Hetch  Hetchy  is  the  Indian  name  of  a  deep  valley 
in  the  Sierra,  lying  north  of  the  Yosemite,  which 
will  some  day  cease  to  be  a  valley  and  become  a 
lake,  as  the  people  of  San  Francisco  have  succeeded 
in  obtaining  the  permission  of  the  United  States 
Government  to  turn  it  into  a  reservoir  for 
the  city's  water  supply.  An  explanation  of  the 
meaning  of  the  word  Hetch  Hetchy  has  been 
obtained  through  the  kindness  of  John  Muir, 
who  says:  "I  have  been  informed  by  moun- 
taineers who  know  something  of  the  Indian 
language  that  Hetch  Hetchy  is  the  name  of  a 
species  of  grass  that  the  Tuolumne  Indians  used 
for  food,  and  which  grows  on  the  meadow  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  valley.  The  grain,  when  ripe, 
was  gathered  and  beaten  out  and  pounded  into 
meal  in  mortars."  The  word  was  originally 
spelled  Hatchatchie. 

Lancha  Plana  (fiat-boat),  is  in  Amador  County, 
and  its  story  is  thus  told  by  Mr.  Junius  Farns- 
worth,  an  old  resident  of  Stockton:  "This  town 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


is  located  across  the  Mokelumne  River  from  Po\'- 
erty  Bar,  a  name  given  to  a  gravel  bar  in  the 
river  which  was  exceedingl\'  rich  in  placer  gold, 
and  to  which  thousands  of  early  day  miners  were 
attracted.  Those  who  came  from  the  north  side 
of  the  ]\Iokelumne  centered  in  Lancha  Plana  and 
reached  Poverty  Bar  by  means  of  a  flat-boat,  or 
fiat  ferry.  The  Spanish  soon  designated  the  set- 
tlement on  the  north  bank  of  the  river  as  Lancha 
Plana,  as  it  was  the  point  at  which  the  flat-boat 
tied  ujj.'' 

Moqucliimnc  is  the  name  of  a  river  which 
rises  in  the  high  Sierra  in  Alpine  County,  flows 
southwesterly  and  empties  into  the  San  Joaquin. 
The  word  is  a  corruption  of  the  Miwok  Waka- 
lumiloh,  the  Indian  name  of  the  river.  The 
Mocjuelumne  famil\-  was  made  uj)  of  an  aggrega- 
tion of  tribes  which  occupied  three  sections,  one 
lying  between  the  Cosumnes  and  I'^esno  Rivers, 
another  in  Marin,  Sonoma,  and  \a])a  Counties, 
and  a  third  occupying  a  small  area  in  the  south 
end  of  Lake  County. — (A.  L.  Kroeber,  in  Ameri- 
can Anthrop.  \'I1I,  no.  4,  \()ob.)  The  Aliwoks 
constituted  the  great  body  of  this  familw  tin- 
different  branches  of  which  were  coniUHlccl  by  u 

331 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


similarity  of  languages.  The  Miwoks  are  de- 
scribed as  being  quite  low  in  the  scale  of  civili- 
zation, and  "it  has  been  asserted  that  this  tribe  of 
Indians  ate  every  variety  of  living  creature 
indigenous  to  their  territory  except  the  skunk. 
The  skins  of  jack-rabbits  were  rudely  woven 
into  robes,  and  they  bought  bows  and  arrows 
from  the  mountain  Indians  for  shell  money. 
Cremation  of  the  dead  was  usual,  and  all  posses- 
sions of  the  departed  were  burned  with  them. 
Their  names  were  never  afterward  mentioned  and 
those  who  bore  the  same  names  changed  them 
for  others.  Widows  covered  their  faces  with 
pitch,  and  the  younger  women  singed  their  hair 
short  as  a  sign  of  widowhood." — {Handbook  of 
American  Indians.)  Muk-kel  was  the  name  of 
the  principal  village  of  this  tribe,  and  if  umne  does 
in  fact  mean  "people  of",  Moquelumne  may  be 
"people  of  the  village  of  Muk-kel." 

Panamint  Range  of  mountains  was  named  for 
the  Panamint  tribe,  who  belonged  to  the  Sho- 
shonean  family,  and  lived  around  the  Panamint 
Valley,  in  Inyo  County,  southeastern  California. 
Many  unfortunate  seekers  after  gold  have  lost 
their  lives  in  this  desolate  mountain  range. 

332 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Pinto  Range  fj)ainted  or  spotted  range),  so- 
called  because  of  the  variegated  colors  of  the 
rocks.     This  range  is  in  Inyo  County. 

San  Andreas  (St.  Andrew),  is  the  county-seat 
of  Calaveras  County,  and  is  situated  near  the 
Calaveras  Ri\er,  fifty-six  miles  southeast  of 
Sacramento.  Placer  gold  mining  was  at  one  time 
extensively  carried  on  here.  St.  Andrew,  the 
patron  saint  of  this  place,  was  the  brother  of 
Simon  Peter,  and  was  the  first  called  to  be  an 
apostle.  He  suffered  martyrdom  by  being  crucified, 
supposedly  on  a  cross  shaped  like  the  one  that 
bears  his  name.  He  is  the  patron  of  the  Order  of 
the  Golden  Fleece,  and  of  the  great  Order  of  the 
Cross  of  St.  Andrew. — (Stories  of  the  Saints.)  San 
Andreas  is  anomalous  in  being  almost  the  only 
Spanish  name  in  the  mining  district.  The  circum- 
stances of  its  naming  have  not  been  ascer- 
tained. 

Sonora,  named  for  the  i)ro\incc  of  Sonora  in 
Mexico,  is  the  capital  of  Tuolumne  County,  and 
is  situated  ninety  miles  southeast  of  Sacramento. 
It  received  its  name  from  the  large  number  of 
Sonorans  from  the  Mexican  ])ro\ince  who  mined 
there  in   the  \'ery  early  days.     This  is  a   mining 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


period  name  and  has  no  real  connection  with 
Spanish  names. 

Tenaya  Peak  in  Yosemite  Valley  is  named  for 
Ten-ei-ya,  chief  of  the  Yosemite  Indians. 

Vallecito  (little  valley),  is  in  Calaveras  County, 
fifty-five  miles  northeast  of  Stockton. 

Wawona,  in  Mariposa  County,  is  said  by  some 
authorities  to  be  a  Moquelumnan  word  meaning 
"big  tree,"  but  this  definition  is  regarded  by 
ethnologists  with  doubt. 


CAMINO  REAL 

Caniino  Real  (royal  road,  or  the  King's  high- 
way). The  Camino  Real  was  the  road  connect- 
ing the  missions,  and  was  the  chief  means  of 
intercourse  between  the  different  settlements 
during  the  early  years  of  the  state's  history. 
After  American  occupation  the  road  fell  into 
disuse,  but  at  present  is  being  reconstructed  along 
the  old  route,  with  many  extensions  and  branches, 
and  will,  when  finished,  be  one  of  the  finest  roads 
in  the  United  States. 


334 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


PRONUNCIATION  OF  SPANISH  NAMES. 

While  it  scarcely  falls  within  the  province  of  this  book 
to  enter  into  an  elaborate  discussion  of  the  matter  of  pro- 
nunciation of  Spanish  names,  it  is  thought  desirable  to 
jiresent  a  few  of  the  simplest  rules,  with  some  examples, 
so  that  persons  unacquainted  with  the  language  may 
avoid  at  least  the  worst  of  those  pit-falls  set  for  their 
inexperienced  feet  by  our  nomenclature.  It  should  be 
mentioned  that  in  California  the  Spanish-American  usage, 
rather  than  the  Castilian,  is  followed  in  the  pronunciation 
of  the  c  and  s.  The  rules  of  pronunciation  quoted  here 
are  those  given  in  Ramsey's  text  books,  generally  regarded 
as  excellent  authority. 

\OWELS. 


A  sounds  like  a  in  ah,  midway  between  the  English  a 
in  father  and  that  in  fat.  Example,  Pala,  pronounced 
Pah' la  h. 

E  sounds  liki'  a  in  hay,  its  sound  being  slightly  \'aried 
according  to  situation.  Example,  Rode'o,  pronounced 
Ro-day'o. 

I  sounds  like  cr  in  hrc.  Example,  Vista,  i)ronounced 
Vees'lah. 

O  sounds  like  o  in  hope.  Example,  Contra  Costa,  pro- 
nounced Coiie'tra/i  Coast'ah.  This  name  is  frequently 
mispronounced  Ijy  using  the  short  sound  of  o,  as  in  not. 

335 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


U  sounds  like  u  in  rule.  Example,  La  Funta,  pro- 
nounced La  Poon'tah. 

Y,  when  a  vowel,  is  equivalent  to  i.  Y  is  considered  a 
vowel  only  when  standing  alone,  as  in  y  (the  conjunction 
and),  or  at  the  end  of  a  word,  as  in  ley  (law),  but  is  some- 
times used  interchangeably  with  /  at  the  beginning  of  a 
word,  as  in  San  Ysidro,  pronounced  San  Ee-see'dro,  and 
sometimes  spelled  Isidro.  In  other  cases  it  is  a  consonant 
and  is  pronounced  like  the  v  in  the  English  yard. 

CONSONANTS. 

Only  those  consonant  sounds  differing  from  English 
usage  need  be  mentioned  here. 

C  has  two  sounds.  Before  e  and  i  it  is  pronounced  like 
5  in  seat,  that  is,  in  Spanish-American  usage;  examples, 
Cerro,  pronounced  Ser'ro,  and  Cima,  pronounced  See'mah. 
In  all  other  cases  c  has  the  sound  of  k;  examples,  Carlos, 
pronounced  Kar'loce,  Colorado,  pronounced  Ko-lo-rah'do 
(each  0  long,  as  in  hope),  Cuesta,  pronounced  Kwes'tah, 
and  Cruz,  pronounced  Kroos. 

Ch  has  the  sound  of  ch  in  church.     Example,  Chico,  pro- 
nounced Chee'ko. 

D  is  slightly  softened,  and  when  occurring  between 
vowels  and  at  the  end  of  words  it  is  almost  like  th  in  then. 
Examples,  Andrade,  pronounced  Ahn-drah'-dthay,  and 
Soledad,  pronounced  Sole-ay-dadth. 

G  has  two  sounds.  Before  e  and  i  it  has  the  sound  of 
strongly  aspirated  h.  Examples,  German' ,  pronounced 
Ilare-mahn' ,  and  ,£j/ro,  pronounced  hee'ro.     In  all  other 

336 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


cases  it  sounds  like  ^  in  go.  Examples,  Gaviota,  Golela, 
Guadalupe,  Granada.  In  gue  and  gui  the  u  is  regularly 
silent;  exceptions  to  this  rule  are  marked  by  the  diaeresis, 
as  in  Arguello,  pronounced  Ar-gwayl'yo,  or  in  Spanish- 
American,  Ar-gway'yo. 

II  is  silent  except  in  the  combined  character  ch.  Ex- 
ample, La  Honda,  pronounced  La  On'dab,  with  long  o, 
as  in  Jwpe. 

J  has  the  sound  of  strongly  aspirated  //.  Examples, 
Pdjaro,  pronounced  Pah'hah-ro,  and  San  Jose,  pronounced 
San  Ho-say' .  This  letter  is  one  of  the  worst  stumbling- 
blocks  in  the  pronunciation  of  Sj^anish  names. 

LI  has  the  sound  of  the  letters  ///  in  the  English  million, 
but  in  many  parts  of  Spanish-America  it  is  pronounced 
like  y  in  beyond.  The  latter  is  not  considered  an  elegant 
])ronunciation.  Example,  Vallejo,  properly  pronounced 
Val-yay'ho,  but  in  Spanish-American,  Va-yay'ho. 

N  has  the  sound  of  the  letters  ni  in  the  English  pinion. 
Iv\amplr,  Canada,  pronounced  Can-yah'dthah. 

(J  only  occurs  before  uc  and  ui,  and  sounds  like  h,  the 
following  ii  being  always  silent.  Exami:)le,  San  Quinlin, 
pronounced  Sn/i  Keen-teen'. 

S  has  the  hissing  sound  of  .v  in  say,  base,  and  is  ne\er 
])ronounced  like  s/i  as  in  mansion,  or  z  as  in  rose.  Thus  in 
Sa)ila  Rosa  the  .v  is  shari)ly  hissed  and  is  not  pronounced 
as  Sanla  Koza. 

Z  is  sounded  in  Si)anish-.'\merica  like  sharply  hissed  s, 
as  in  say  or  base.  Example,  /.aniora,  j)ronounced  Sah- 
mo'rah. 

337 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      C A L I F 0 R N JA 


A  peculiarity  of  pronunciation  common  to  almost  all 
Spaniards  is  the  confusion  of  the  b  and  the  v  so  that  one 
can  hardly  be  distinguished  from  the  other.  Vowel 
sounds  are  pronounced  shortly  and  crisply,  never  with  the 
drawling  circumflex  sound  sometimes  heard  in  English. 
Without  going  into  the  complications  of  the  division  of 
syllables,  it  may  be  stated  that  the  fundamental  principle 
is  to  make  syllables  end  in  a  vowel  as  far  as  possible; 
examples,  Do-lo-res  (not  Do-lor-es),  Sa-li-nas  (not  Sal-in-as. 

ACCENT. 

All  words  ending  in  n  or  5  or  a  vowel  are  regularly 
accented  on  the  next  to  the  last  syllable;  examples, 
SausalUo,  Alturas,  comen.  All  others  are  accented  on  the 
last  syllable;  examples,  San  Rafael',  AvenaV .  In  words 
following  the  above  rules  no  mark  is  used,  but  in  the 
exceptions,  which  are  many,  the  stress  must  be  indicated 
by  the  written  accent.  Examples,  Portold,  Jolon,  Alamo, 
Los  Angeles. 

ARTICLES. 

In  the  Spanish  language  articles  agree  with  their  nouns 
in  gender  and  number.  The  forms  of  the  definite  article 
are  el  (singular)  and  los  (plural)  for  the  masculine,  la 
(singular)  and  las  (plural)  for  the  feminine.  Examples, 
El  Portal  (the  portal,  or  gate),  Los  Gatos  (the  cats).  La 
Paz  (the  peace),  Las  Vir genes  (the  virgins). 


338 


'^MEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


LIST  OF  NAMES  MOST  LIKELY  TO  BE  MISPRO- 
NOUNCED, WITH  THEIR  PHONETIC  PRO- 
NUNCIATION. 

A^ua pronounced  Ah'gwah.  Spanish  Ameri- 
cans often  mispronounce 
this  word  by  leaving  out 
the  g,  calling  it  ah'wa. 

Aguajito "  Ah-gwah-hee'to. 

Alameda "  Ah-lah-may'dthah. 

Los  Angeles "  Loce  Ahng' hell-ess. 

Asuncion "  Ah-soon-see-on' ,  with     the 

0  long,  as  in  hope. 

El  Cajon' "  El  Kah-hon' ,    with    the    o 

long,  as  in  hope. 

Camino  Real "  Kah-niee'no  Ray-ahV . 

Canada "  Kahn-yah'dtha,  with  the  d 

slightly  softened  like  th 
in  then. 

Carpinteria "  Kar-peen-tay-ree'  ah. 

Carqulnez "  Kar-kee'ness. 

Conejo "  Ko-nay'ho. 

Corral "  Kore-rahl' . 

Dolores "  Do-lo'ress. 

Farallones "  Eah-rahl-yo'ness,  in  Sj)an- 

ish-American,  Fa-rah-yo' 
ness. 

Los  Gatos "  Loce  Gah'tos,  the  a  long,  as 

in  hope. 

339 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Guadalupe pronounced 

La  Jolla 

La  Joya 

La  Junta " 

Laguna  Seca 

Lagunitas 

Matilija " 

Merced 

Mesa " 

Ojo 

Pdjaro " 

Paso  Robles " 

Portold " 

Punta  Arenas " 

Rodeo " 

Salinas " 

San  Geronimo " 

San  Jacinto " 

San  Joaquin " 

San  Jose " 

San  Juan  Bautista.  " 

San  Julian " 

San  Luis  Obisi)o. .  .  " 

San  Martin " 


Gwa-dah-loo' pay . 

La  Hole'yah,  or  in  Span- 
ish-American,  Ho' yah. 

La  Ho' yah. 

La  Hoon'tah. 

Lah-goo'nah  Say'cah. 

Lah-goo-nee'tas. 

Mah-tee-lee'hah. 

Mare-sedth',  with  the  d 
sHghtly  softened  Hke  th 
in  then. 

May'sah. 

O'ho,  with  the  j  strongly 
aspirated. 

Pah'hah-ro. 

Pah' so  Ro'blace. 

Por-to-lah' . 

Poon'tah  Ah-ray'nas. 

Ro-day'o. 

Sah-lee'nas. 

Sahn  Hay-ro' nee-mo. 

Sahn  Hah-seen'to. 

Sahn  Wha-keen'. 

Sahn  Ho-say' . 

Sahn  Whan  Bau-tees'ta. 

Sahn  Hoo-lee-ahn'. 

Sahn  Loo-ees'  0-bees'po. 

Sahn  Mar-teen' . 


340 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


San  Quintin pronounced  Sahn  Keen-teen' ,  colloqui- 
ally spelled  Quentin. 

Santa  Fe "  Sahnta  Fay'. 

Santa  Inez "  Sahnta  Ee-ness'. 

San  Ysidro "  Sahn    Ee-see'dro  also 

spelled  Isidro. 

Snnol "  Soon-yole'. 

Vallejo "  Val-yay'ho,  in  Spanish- 

American  Vah-yay'ho. 

Las  V'trgenes "  Las  Veer'hen-ess 


^4l 


MAP  ()!•    Till';  MISSIONS. 
Usid  liv  till.'  rourlisy  i>f  I'litluT  KnKclhardt. 


FINAL  LIST  AND 
INDEX 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


FINAL  LIST  AND  INDEX 

Abalone  (the  great  sea-snail  of  the  Pacific  Coast). 
See  page  75. 

Acampo  (common  pasture).  See  page  282.  This 
name  is  used  here  in  the  sense  of  "camp,"  and  was 
given  by  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  years  ago, 
in  reference  to  a  camp  of  wood  choppers  and 
Chinese  which  was  located  there. 

Acolito  (acolyte),  is  in  Imperial  County. 

Adelantc  (onward,  forward),  now  changed  to 
Napa  Junction,  is  in  \ay)a  County.  This  place  was 
called  Adelantc  in  the  h()])e  that  its  location  on 
Napa  River  would  cause  it  to  become  the  principal 
city  of  the  valley. 

Adobe  (sun-dried  brick). 

Agua  (water),  is  in  very  common  use  in  referring 
to  springs,  usually  accom})anied  by  a  qualifying 
adjective.  See  page  339.  'Hiis  word  is  usually 
mispronounced  by  vSpanish  Americans. 

Agiia  Amargosa  (bitter  water).     See  page  154. 

Agua  Calioilr  (hot  water,  hot  spring).  See 
pages  76  and   259. 

Agua   Caycudo   (falling  water). 

347 


PLACE     NAMES     OF      CALIFORNIA 


Agua  Duke   (sweet  water,   fresh  water). 

Agna  Fria   (cold  water,   cold  spring). 

Agua  Hedionda  (stinking  water,  sulphur  spring) . 

Agiiaje  del  Centinela  (water  hole,  or  watering 
place  of  the  sentinel),  the  title  of  a  land  grant. 

Agua  del  Medio  (middle  spring). 

Agiiajito  (little  water  hole).  Near  Monterey, 
in  a  dehghtful  little  glen,  there  were  a  number  of 
these  springs,  or  water  holes,  where  the  women 
were  in  the  habit  of  doing  the  town  washing, 
kneeling  upon  the  ground  and  washing  the  cloth- 
ing directly  in  the  springs.  This  place  was  called 
Los  Aguajitos  (the  water  holes),  by  the  Spanish 
residents,  and  "washerwoman's  canyon"  by  the 
Americans.  In  the  pastoral  days  of  California, 
entire  families  climbed  into  their  ox-carts,  made 
with  solid  wooden  wheels,  and,  provided  with  a 
liberal  lunch  basket,  made  a  picnic  of  "blue 
Monday"  under  the  green  trees  of  Los  Aguajitos 
canyon.     See  page  339. 

Agua  Mansa  (still  water,  smooth-running  cur- 
rent). One  writer,  for  what  reason  does  not 
appear,  defines  this  as  "house  water."  This 
place  is  in  Southern  California,  near  Colton. 

Agua  Puerca  (dirty  or  muddy  water). 

348 


THEIR  MEANING   AND   ROMANCE 


Agiia  Piicrca  v  las  Trancas  (muddy  water  and 
the  bars,  or  stiles).  This  was  the  peculiar  title 
of  a  land  grant,  based,  no  doubt,  upon  some 
trivial  circumstance  now  forgotten.  One  writer 
has  translated  it  as  "water  lit  for  pigs  and  French- 
men," a  Gratuitous  insult  to  the  French  people 
of  which  the  Spaniards  were  not  guilty.  This 
writer  evidently  mistook  the  word  pucrca  (muddy 
or  dirty)  for  piterca  (sow),  and  by  some  strange 
twist  of  the  imagination,  seems  to  have  taken 
trancas  to  mean  Frenchmen ! 

Agua  Tibia  (tepid  or  warm  water,  warm  spring). 
See  page  36. 

Agua  dc  Vida  (water  of  life). 

Aguilar  (the  place  of  eagles). 

Las  Aguilas  (the  eagles).  Real  dc  las  Agiiilas 
means  the  "camp  of  the  eagles." 

Ahwanee  (an  Indian  place  name),  poi)ularly  but 
not  aulhcnlirall\-  Iraiislalcd  as  "a  deep  or  grassy 
\'alley,"  is  the  name  of  a  place  in  Madera  Countx . 

'^A-um-ni  was  the  nanu-  of  a  large  \illage  stand- 
ing direcllx-  at  the  toot  of  \'osemite  Fall." — 
(Powers'   Trihrs  of  Calijoniia.) 

Alameda  (an  axciuie  shaded  b\-  trees,  or  a 
Cottonwood  grow).      This  word   i>  derived  from 

349 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


alamo,  a  poplar  tree  known  in  the  West  as  cotton- 
wood.     See  pages  208  and  339. 

Los Alamitos (the little cottonwoods).  Seepage 76. 

Alamo  (cottonwood).     See  page   227. 

Los  Alamos  (the  cottonwoods).     See  page  105. 

Los  Alamos  y  Agua  Calient e  (the  cottonwoods 
and  hot  spring),  the  title  of  a  land  grant. 

Alcalde  (mayor,  justice  of  the  peace).  This 
place  is  in  the  southern  part  of  Fresno  County. 

Alcatraz  (pelican),  see  page  203. 

Alessandro  (Alexander).  This  place  is  in  River- 
side County. 

AlJmmbra,  near  Los  Angeles,  was  named  for 
the  famous  Alhambra  of  Spain.  The  Alhambra 
was  an  ancient  palace  and  fortress  of  the  Moorish 
mcnarchs  of  Granada  in  Southern  Spain,  prob- 
ably built  between  1248  and  1354.  The  word 
signifies  in  Arabic  "the  red,"  and  was  perhaps 
given  to  this  building  in  allusion  to  the  color 
of  the  bricks  of  which  the  outer  walls  are  con- 
structed. "The  marvelous  beauty  of  the  archi- 
tecture of  this  structure  has  been  greatly  injured 
by  alterations,  earthquakes,  etc.,  yet  it  still 
remains  the  most  perfect  example  of  Moorish  art 
in  its  final  European  development." 

350 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


El  Alisal  (alder  grove). 

AUso  (alder),  see  page  76. 

Los  Alisos  (the  alders). 

Almaden  (mine,  mineral).     See  page  178. 

Aha  (high).     See  page  329. 

Alto  (high),  is  near  San  Francisco. 

Los  Altos  (the  heights),  is  about  iifteen  miles 
from  Los  Gatos. 

Alturas  (heights).     See  page  259. 

Aharado  (a  surname).     See  page  227. 

Alviso  (a  surname).    See  page  178. 

Amador  (a  surname).     See  page  310. 

Amargosa  (bitter).    See  page  328. 

American  River.     See  page  299. 

Anacapa  Island.  This  name  is  Indian,  but  the 
popular  story  that  it  means  "vanishing  island, 
disappearing  island,"  is  probably  not  authentic. 
''Anacapa  is  a  corruption  of  Vancouver's  Indian 
name  of  the  island,  hlnnecapah;  the  engraver 
spelled  it  Knecapali  on  the  chart,  and  subsequent 
compilers  have  endeavored  to  gi\e  it  a  Spanish 
form." — (Geo.  Daxidson  in  I'liilcd  Stales  Coast 
ami  Geodetic  Survey.) 

Andrade  (a  surname).  This  i)lace  is  near 
Calexico. 

351 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Los  Angeles  (the  angels).    See  pages  51  and  339. 

Angel  Island.     See  page  204. 

Las  Animas  (the  souls).     See  page  65. 

Ano  Nuevo  (new  year).    See  page  157. 

Aptos  is  'said  to  be  an  Indian  name,  meaning 
"the  meeting  of  two  streams,"  in  reference  to 
Valencia  and  Aptos  Creeks.  As  this  was  a 
method  of  naming  very  much  in  vogue  among 
the  Indians,  it  is  likely  that  this  is  the  true  expla- 
nation of  Aptos. 

Arena  (sand).     See  page  259. 

Las  Arenas  (the  sands). 

Punta  de  Arenas  (sandy  point),  a  cape  on  the 
coast  of  Mendocino  County. 

Arguello  (a  surname).     See  page  106. 

Armada  (fleet,  squadron).  The  Armada  was 
the  name  of  the  great  fleet  sent  against  England 
by  Philip  II  in  1588.  Whether  the  name  of  this 
town,  situated  in  Riverside  County,  has  this 
origin  has  not  been  ascertained. 

Las  Aromitas  y  Agua  Caliente  (the  little  per- 
fumes and  hot  spring),  title  of  a  land  grant. 

Aromas  (the  odors,  perfumes),  is  in  San  Benito 
County. 

Arroyo  (a  creek  or  small  stream).    The  designa- 

352 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


tion  arroyo  is  sometimes  applied  to  the  dry  bed  of 
a  former  stream.  It  does  not,  as  is  sometimes 
thought,  refer  only  to  a  bed  with  steep  sides,  but 
is  applied  as  well  to  shallow  streams  flowing 
through  level  country. 

Arroyo  de  la  Alameda  (creek  of  the  cotton  wood 
grove) . 

Arroyo  Buenos  Aires  (creek  of  the  good  airs). 
See  page  282. 

Arroyo  del  Burro  (jackass  creek). 

Arroyo  Chico  (little  creek).     See  page  283. 

Arroyo  dc  las  Dolores  (creek  of  the  sorrows). 
Dolores  Creek  in  San  Francisco  was  so-named 
"because  this  was  the  Friday  of  Sorrows." 

Arroyo  de  los  Galas  (creek  of  the  cats — wild- 
cats). 

Arroyo  Grande  (big  creek).    See  page  127. 

Arroyo  Hondo  (deep  creek).     See  page  179. 

Arroyo  de  la  Lai^ima  (creek  of  the  lagoon). 

Arroyo  Medio  (middle  creek). 

Arroyo  de  las  Xueces  y  Bolbones  (creek  of  the 
walnuts  and  Bolbones).  The  meaning  of  Bolbones 
has  not  been  ascertained,  but  it  may  have  been 
the  name  of  an  Indian  tribe. 

Arroyo  del  Xorte  (creek  of  the  north). 

353 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Arroyo  Real  de  las  Aguilas  (creek  of  the  camp 
of  the  eagles). 

Arroyo  del  Rodeo  (creek  of  the  cattle  round- 
up). 

Arroyo  Seco  (dry  creek).    See  page  157. 

Asfalto  (asphalt),  incorrectly  spelled  asphalto, 
is  in  southwestern  Kern  County. 

Asuncion  (ascension).    See  pages  97  and  339. 

Atascadero  (bog-mire).  See  page  127.  The 
Atascadero  is  one  of  the  largest  ranches  in  the 
state,   comprising   22000  acres. 

Avena  (oats),  is  in  Inyo  County. 

Avenal  (a  field  sown  with  oats).     See  page  127. 

Avenales  (wild  oats). 

Avila  (a  surname),  eight  miles  from  San  Luis 
Obispo,  was  probably  named  for  a  pioneer  family 
of  Los  Angeles. 

Azusa.  See  page  77.  This  is  the  name  of  a 
place  in  Los  Angeles  County. 

El  Bailarin  (the  dancer).     See  page  99. 

Ballena  (whale).     See  page  39. 

Bandini  (a  surname).     See  page  77. 

Los  Bams  (the  baths),  is  in  Merced  County, 
thirty-five  miles  southwest  of  Merced.  This  place 
was  so-called  from  the  creek,  which  has  large,  deep 

354 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


pools  of  clear  water  that  were  used  by  the  early 
inhabitants  as  a  bathing  place. 

Barranca  (ravine). 

La  Barranca  Color ada  (the  red  ravine). 

Barril  (barrel). 

Barro    (clay). 

Batata  (sweet  potato) ,  is  in  Merced  County,  and 
is  so-called  because  it  lies  in  the  best  sweet  potato 
growing  district  in  California. 

Baulines,  see  page  228. 

Bella  Vista  (beautiful  view). 

BcUota  (acorn),  is  in  San  Joacjuin  County. 

Benicia  (a  surname).     See  page  223. 

Bcrenda,  probably  a  misspelling  of  bcrreiida 
(female  antelope),  is  in  Madera  County. 

Berrendo  (antelope).     See  page  40. 

Berrcndos   (antelopes).      See  page   40. 

Bcrros  (water-cresses),  is  in  San  Luis  Obispo 
County. 

Berryessa  (a  surname). 

Blanco  (white).  See  page  157.  In  early  days  an 
American  named  Thomas  White  lived  near  the  ]:)res- 
ent  town  of  Blanco.  His  name  was  translated  into 
the  Spanish  form  for  white, /?/(z;?rf7,  by  the  native  re- 
sidents, and  the  place  became  known  1)\  tliatname. 

355 


PLACE     NAMES     OF      CALIFORNIA 


Boca  (mouth),  in  this  case  refers  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Truckee  River,  in  Nevada  County. 

La  Boca  de  la  Canada  del  Pinole  (the  mouth  of 
the  valley  of  the  cereal  meal).  This  was  a  land 
grant,  which  received  its  peculiar  name  from  the 
fact  of  the  Spaniards  having  been  compelled  to 
live  on  pinole  while  they  awaited  the  return  of  a 
party  with  supplies  from  Monterey,  See  Pinole, 
page  231. 

Boca  de  la  Playa  (mouth  of  the  beach) . 

Boca  de  Santa  Monica  (mouth  of  Santa  Monica) . 

Bodega  (a  surname).     See  page  259. 

Bolinas,  probably  a  corruption  of  Baulines,  an 
Indian  word.     See  page  228. 

Bolsa  (pocket),  often  used  to  mean  a  "shut-in 
place."     See  page  78. 

La  Bolsa  (the  pocket),  is  near  Newport  Beach. 

Las  Bolsas  (the  pockets). 

Bolsa  de  Chamisal  (pocket  of  the  wild  cane,  or 
reeds).  The  chamisal,  sometimes  incorrectly 
spelled  chemisal,  is  defined  in  the  dictionaries  as 
wild  cane,  or  reed,  but  in  California,  at  least,  it 
is  applied  to  a  "shrub  attaining  a  height  of  six 
or  eight  feet.  Its  thickets  are  almost  impassable 
except  by  bears  or  similar  animals,  as  the  branches 

356 


THEIR     AIEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


are  low  and  very  stiff  and  tough.  In  some  places 
men  are  only  able  to  penetrate  it  by  crawling.' ' 
—(Mr.  Charles  B.Turrill.) 

Bolsa  Chica  (little  pocket). 

Bolsa  de  las  Escorpinas  (pocket  of  the  perch.) 

Bolsa  Niieva  y  Mora  Cojo  (new  pocket  and  lame 
Moor).  The  word  Mora  was  often  used  to  mean 
anything  black,  as,  for  instance,  a  lame  black 
horse,  for  which  the  Moro  Cojo  Rancho,  near 
Monterey,  is  said  to  have  been  named. 

Bolsa  del  Pdjaro  (pocket  of  the  bird). 

Bolsa  del  Polrcro,  y  Moro  Cojo  6  la  Saf^rada 
Familia  (pocket  of  the  pasture,  and  the  lame  Moor 
or  the  Holy  Family).  This  is  the  combined  name 
of  several  land  grants. 

Bolsa  dc  San  Felipe  (pocket  of  St.  Philip). 

Bonito  (pretty).     See  page  228. 

La  Brea  (the  asphalt).    See  page  54. 

El  Buclwn  (the  big  craw).     See  page  127. 

Biiena  Visla  (good  \ic\v). 

Biicyes  (oxen). 

Los  Burros  (the  donkeys,  or  jackasses),  is  in 
San  Luis  Obispo  Count}'. 

Caheza  (head). 

Dos  Cabezas  (two  heads). 

357 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Caheza  de  Santa  Rosa  (head  of  St.  Rose). 

Cabezon  (big  head).    See  page  78. 

Cahrillo  (a  surname),  the  name  of  a  cape  on  the 
coast  of  Mendocino  County.    See  page  259. 

Cadiz,  between  Needles  and  Barstow,  was 
probably  named  for  the  well-known  Spanish  city 
of  the  same  name.  "In  naming  the  stations  on  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad  from  Mojave  to  Needles 
going  east,  an  alphabetical  order  was  used,  Bar- 
stow,  Cadiz,  Daggett,  etc.,  until  Needles  was 
reached." — (Mr.  Charles  B.  Turrill.) 

Cahto,  Mendocino  County,  Indian,  probable 
meaning  "lake." 

Cahuenga,  near  Los  Angeles,  is  an  Indian  name, 
that  of  a  former  village. 

Cahuilla,  is  said  to  be  a  corruption  of  the  Indian 
word  Ka-wia.     See  page  78. 

El  Cajon  (the  box,  or  canyon).  The  name  of 
El  Cajon  was  first  given  to  a  valley  lying  about 
fifteen  miles  east  of  San  Diego.  The  valley  com- 
prises about  16,000  acres  of  level  land  entirely 
surrounded  by  hills  several  hundred  feet  high, 
thus  presenting  a  box-like  appearance  that  gave 
rise  to  its  name.    See  pages  41  and  339. 

Cajon  Pass  is  in  San  Bernardino  County. 

358 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


Calahazas  (pumpkins),  see  page  79. 

Calaveras  (skulls).    See  page  311. 

Calexico,  on  the  border  of  Lower  California,  is 
a  hybrid  word  made  up  of  the  first  part  of  California 
and  the  last  of  Mexico.  Its  counterpart  on  the 
Mexican  side  is  Mexicali,  in  which  the  process 
is  reversed. 

Caliente  (hot).     See  page  282. 

Caliente  Creek.  See  page  41.  This  creek  was 
so-named  because  its  water  is  warm, 

California,  see  page  13. 

Calisloga,  see  page  259. 

Calncva  and  Calvada  are  two  more  hybrids, 
made  up  of  syllables  from  California  and  Nevada. 

Calor,  near  the  Oregon  line,  is  likely  to  cause 
confusion  by  its  resemblance  to  the  Spanish  word 
calor,  (heat) ;  this  Calor  is  one  of  those  composite 
words  to  which  Californians  are  so  regrettably 
addicted,  and  is  made  up  of  the  first  syllables  of 
California  and  Oregon. 

CalpcUa  was  named  for  llic  chief  of  a  \-illage 
situated  just  soutli  of  the  ])rcscnt  town,  near  Pomo, 
in  Mendocino  County.  Tiie  chief's  name  was 
Kalpela. 

Calzona  is  another  trap  for  l\\c  unwar}-,  tiirough 

359 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


its  resemblance  to  the  Spanish  word  calzones 
(breeches) ;  it  is  one  more  of  those  border  towns 
bearing  names  made  up  of  the  syllables  of  two 
state  names,  in  this  case,  California  and  Arizona. 
Camanche,  a  post  town  in  Calaveras  County, 
was  so-named  in  honor  of  the  great  Camanche, 
or  Comanche  tribe,  whose  remarkable  qualities 
are  thus  described  by  Father  Morfi  in  his  Memorias 
de  Texas,  a  document  written  about  the  year  1778: 
"The  Comanche  nation  is  composed  of  five  thou- 
sand fighting  men,  divided  into  five  tribes,  each 
with  a  different  name.  They  are  very  superior 
to  all  the  others  in  number  of  people,  extent 
of  the  territory  that  they  occupy,  modesty  of 
their  dress,  hospitality  to  all  who  visit  them, 
humanity  towards  all  captives  except  Apaches, 
and  their  bravery,  which  is  remarkable  even 
in  the  women.  They  live  by  hunting  and  war, 
and  this  wandering  disposition  is  the  worst 
obstacle  to  their  reduction,  for  it  induces  them  to 
steal.  Nevertheless,  they  are  very  generous  with 
what  they  have,  and  so  proud  that  one  alone  is 
capable  of  facing  a  whole  camp  of  enemies  if  he 
cannot  escape  without  witnesses  to  his  flight." 
Both  spellings  are  used  in  the  original  records. 

360 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Camaritas  (small  cabins  or  rooms).  The  appli- 
cation of  this  name  has  not  been  ascertained.  It 
may  refer  to  Indian  huts  seen  by  the  Spaniards, 
or  may  have  a  totally  different  meaning. 

Camino  Real  (royal  road,  or  the  King's  high- 
way).    See  page  339. 

Campo  fa  level  field,  a  camp,  the  country). 
See  page  41. 

El  Campo  (the  field  or  camp),  places  in  Marin 
and  San  Diego  Counties. 

Campo  de  los  Franceses  (field  or  camp  of  the 
Frenchmen). 

Campo  seco  (dry  field  or  camp),  in  Calaveras 
County. 

Camitlos,  or  Kamnlas.    See  page  105. 

Canada  (valley  or  dale  between  mountains). 
See  page  339. 

Canada  dc  los  Alisos  (valley  of  the  alders). 

Canada  del  Baiitisnio  (valley  of  the  baptism). 
See  i)age  4 1 . 

Canada  de  los  Capitancillos  (vallc)'  of  the  Httle 
captains). 

Canada  de  la  Carpinlena  (valley  of  the  car- 
penter-shoj)).     See  page   100. 

Canada  de  los  Caches  (valley  of  the  pigs).    Cache, 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


used  in  the  sense  of  "pig",  is  a  Mexicanism,  said 
to  have  originated  in  the  state  of  Sonora. 

Canada  del  Corte  de  Madera  (valley  of  the  wood- 
cutting place). 

Canada  del  Hambre  v  las  Balsas  (valley  of  hun- 
ger and  the  pockets),  a  name  said  to  have  been 
given  to  this  canyon  because  some  Spanish  soldiers 
nearly  perished  of  starvation  there.  A  bolsa  is 
a  pocket,  or  shut-in  place. 

Canada  Larga  (long  valley). 

Canada  de  las  Muertos  (valley  of  the  dead). 

Canada  de  los  Nogales  (valley  of  the  walnut- 
trees). 

Canada  de  los  Noques  (valley  of  the  tan-pits). 

Canada  del  Osito  (valley  of  the  little  bear). 
See  page  127. 

Canada  de  los  Osos  y  Pec  ho  y  I  slay,  valley  of  the 
bears  and  breast  (perhaps  referring  to  Pecho 
Mountain  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County),  and  wild 
cherry.  Islay  is  said  to  be  a  California  Indian 
word  meaning  wild  cherry.  Islais  Creek,  San 
Francisco,  may  take  its  name  from  the  wild  cherry. 

Canada  de  los  Pines  (valley  of  the  pines). 

Canada  de  Raymundo  (valley  of  Raymond). 

Canada  del  Rincon  en  el  Rio  San  Lorenzo  de 

362 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


Santa  Cruz  (valley  of  the  corner  section  on  the 
river  San  Lorenzo  of  Santa  Cruz). 

Canada  de  Sal  si  Puedes  (valley  of  "get  out  if 
you  can").     See  page  109. 

Canada  dc  San  Felipe  y  las  Animas  (valley  of 
St.  Philip  and  the  souls). 

Canada  Scgiinda  (second  valley). 

Canada  de  los  Vaqiieros  (valley  of  the  cow-boys). 

Canada  Verde,  y  Arroyo  de  la  Purisima  Con- 
eepcion  (green  valley  and  creek  of  the  immacu- 
late concepcion). 

Capay,  in  Yolo  County,  is  Indian,  but  its  mean- 
ing has  not  been  ascertained. 

Capislrano,  see  page  35. 

El  Capitdn  (the  captain),  the  name  of  a  precipice 
in  the  Yosemite  Valley. 

Capitdn  (capitan),  the  name  of  a  flag  station  in 
Santa  Barbara  Count)'.  It  was  named  for  a  ranch 
owned  by  Cai)tain  Ortega,  which  was  called  Capi- 
tan, in  reference  to  his  title. 

Caplldii  Cninde  (big  cai)tain).  The  origin  of 
this  name  has  not  been  ascertained. 

/.(/  Carbonera  (the  charcoal  pit). 

Carnadero,  a  (oiriii)!  word  uxd  to  mean 
"butchering-place." 

363 


PLACE     NAMES     OF      CALIFORNIA 


Came  Humana  (human  flesh).     See  page  246. 

Cameras  (sheep).  Camera  is  especially  applied 
to  sheep  used  for  mutton,  rather  than  wool. 

Car  pint  eria  (carpenter-shop).  See  pages  100 
and  339. 

Carquinez.     See  pages  228  and  339. 

Carriso  (large  water  bunch  grass  or  reed-grass) . 
See  page  42. 

Casa  Blanca  (white  house).     See  page  79. 

Casa  Grande  (big  house).  This  place  was  so- 
called  by  the  Spanish  explorers  on  account  of  an 
unusually  large  Indian  house  they  saw  here. 
They  speak  of  finding  a  "large  village  of  many 
houses,  and  among  them  one  extremely  large." 
This  place  is  not  to  be  confused  with  the  famous 
Casa  Grande  in  Arizona. 

El  Casco  (the  skull,  or  outside  shell  of  anything). 
See  page  79.  As  casco  also  has  the  meaning  of 
potsherd,  or  fragment  of  a  broken  vessel,  a  theory 
has  been  deduced  that  it  was  so-called  because  of 
a  resemblance  between  the  hollow  in  the  hills 
where  the  place  is  located  and  a  potsherd.  This 
is  one  of  those  extremely  far-fetched  theories 
which  are  not  likely  to  have  any  basis  in  fact. 

Castac,  an  Indian  word.    The  Castake  was  one 

364 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


of  several  tribes  occupying  the  country  from 
Buena  Vista  and  Kern  Lakes  to  the  Sierra  Nevada 
and  Coast  Range.  Castake  Lake  in  the  Tejon 
Pass  region  derives  its  name  from  this  tribe. 
According  to  Professor  A.  L.  Kroeber,  castac  means 
"my  eyes." 

Castrovillc,  a  composite  word  made  up  of  Castro, 
a  surname,  and  the  French  ville  (town).  The 
Castro  family  was  perhaps  the  most  numerous  in 
California.  Its  most  prominent  member  was 
General  Jose  Castro,  of  whom  Bancroft  says: 
"The  charges  against  him  of  mal-treatment  of 
settlers  were  unfounded.  His  conduct  was  more 
honorable,  dignified,  and  consistent  than  that  of 
Fremont,  and  he  treated  immigrants  with  uni- 
form kindness.  He  was  not  a  very  able  man,  but 
energetic,  ])opu]ar,  true  to  his  friends,  and  in 
public  office  fairly  honest.  An  injustice  has  been 
done  him  in  painting  him  as  a  cowardly,  incom- 
petent braggart.  He  was  at  one  time  Com- 
mandante  Cieneral  of  California."  The  town  of 
Castroville,  named  for  this  prominent  family, 
is  near  Monterey. 

Calalina,  see  page  62. 

Cayegiias  was  named  for  a  former  Inch'an  \illagc 

365 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


near  San  Buenaventura.  This  village  was  among 
those  mentioned  in  the  mission  archives. 

The  meaning  of  the  word  Cayeguas  is  "my 
head."— (A.  L.  Kroeber.) 

Cayucos.     See  page  127. 

Cazadero  (hunting-place).     See  page  260, 

Centinela  (sentinel). 

El  Centro  (the  center) ,  three  miles  from  Imperial 
and  so-named  because  it  is  practically  the  center 
of  the  valley.    This  name  is  recent. 

Cerro   (hill),   near   Sacramento. 

Cerro  Chico  (little  hill). 

Cerro  Gordo  (fat,  thick  hill).    See  page  329. 

Los  Cerritos  (the  little  hills),  in  Los  Angeles 
County. 

Los  Cerros  (the  hills). 

Cerro  de  las  Posas  (hill  of  the  pools  or  wells). 
The  translation  "hill  of  the  seat"  has  been  given 
to  this  by  one  writer,  apparently  without  any  justi- 
fication. Posa,  or  poso,  was  in  constant  use 
among  the  Spaniards  in  the  sense  of  "pool"  or 
"well." 

Cerro  del  Venado  (hill  of  the  deer). 

El  Chamisal  (thicket  of  wild  cane  or  reed). 

Chico  (little).     See  page  282. 

366 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


Chileno  (Chilean,  native  of  Chile).  Seepage  260. 

Las  chimeneas  (the  chimneys),  old  volcanic 
rock  shaped  like  chimneys.  This  place  is  in  San 
Luis  Obispo  County. 

Chino,  a  word  which  may  mean  a  Chinese,  or  a 
person  with  curly  hair.  The  town  of  Chino,  in 
San  Bernardino  County,  took  its  name  from  the 
land  grant  called  Santa  Ana  del  Chino,  but  why 
the  grant  was  so-called  has  not  been  ascertained. 

Chi  qui  la   (little). 

Chiqiiito  Peak  (little  peak),  is  in  F>esno  County. 

Cholanic  was  the  name  of  an  Indian  tribe. 
See  page  128. 

El  Chorro  (a  gushing  stream  of  water).  This 
place  is  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County. 

Chowchilla  was  the  name  of  a  Yokuts  tribe  of 
the  Central  Valley.     See  page  283. 

Chualar.     Sec  ])age   157. 

Chuhi   Vista  (pretty  view).     See  page  42. 

Ciencga  (swam])),  is  in  Los  Angeles  County. 

Las  Cicnc^as  (the  swamps). 

Las  Cicnci^itas  (the  little  swamps). 

Ciencii^a  del  (}abild)i  (the  swamp  of  the  hawk). 

Cicnci^d  (Ic  los  I\iici)ics,  swamp  of  the  Paicines 
(Indian  tribe). 

367 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Cima  (summit),  between  San  Bernardino  and 
Las  Vegas. 

Cimarron  (wild,  unruly).  The  Spaniards  applied 
this  word  to  plants  or  animals  indiscriminately, 
sometimes  using  it  in  reference  to  the  wild  grapes 
which  they  found  growing  in  such  profusion  in 
California,  sometimes  in  reference  to  wild  Indians. 
The  writer  who  translated  it  as  "lost  river"  must 
have  drawn  upon  his  imagination  for  that  defini- 
tion. 

Cisco.     See  page  329. 

Los  Codies  (the  pigs). 

Codornices  Creek  (quail  creek). 

Cojo  (lame).     See  page  106. 

Rancheria  del  Cojo  (village  of  the  lame  one), 
so-called  from  a  lame  Indian  seen  there. 

Coloma,  a  town  in  El  Dorado  County,  so-named 
from  the  Koloma  tribe,  a  division  of  the  Nishinam 
family.  It  was  at  this  place  that  Sutter's  Mill, 
where  gold  was  discovered  in  1848,  was  situated, 
and  it  is  also  there  that  the  native  sons  erected  a 
monument  to  John  W.  Marshall. 

Colorado  (red). 

Colusa,  an  Indian  word,  meaning  not  ascer- 
tained.   See  page  265. 

368 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


Concepcion.     See  page  io6. 

Conejo  (rabbit),  is  the  name  of  several  places. 
See  pages  79  and  339. 

Conejo  Peak  (rabbit  peak),  is  in  Ventura 
County. 

Contra  Costa  (opposite  coast).     See  page  229. 

Cordero  (literally  "lamb"),  but  probably  a 
surname  here. 

Cordova,  near  Sacramento.  Cordova  or  Cor- 
doba is  the  name  of  a  province  of  the  Argentine 
Republic,  in  South  America.  Cattle  raising  is  its 
chief  industry.  The  California  town  may  have  been 
directly  named  for  the  city  of  Cordova  in  Mexico. 

Corona  (crown). 

Coronado  Beach,  see  page  29. 

Corral  (}'ard,  enclosed  piece  of  ground).  See 
pages  157  and  339. 

Los  Corral itos  (the  Httle  yards). 

Corral  de  Piedra  (yard  enclosed  by  a  stone  fence) . 
See  page  158. 

Corral  dc  Ticrra  (earth  corral).     Sec  page  158. 

Cortina,  a  town  in  Colusa  County.  Cortina, 
the  Spanish  word  for  "curtain, "  is  a  corrujUion 
of  Kotina,  the  name  of  the  chief  of  a  fornuT  \illage 
near  the  east  bank  of  (Ortina  ("reek. 

369 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Coso  Mountains,  in  Inyo  County,  were  named 
for  the  Coso  or  Cosho  Indians, 

La  Costa  (the  coast).     See  page  42. 

Cosumne,  a  word  of  Indian  derivation,  said  to 
mean  "fish,  salmon."  See  page  272.  If  the  theory 
that  the  sufhx  umne  means  "place  of"  be  correct, 
then  it  may  be  that  the  meaning  of  Cosumne  is 
"place  of  fish,"  probably  referring  to  salmon 
fisheries. 

Cotate,  in  Sonoma  County,  derived  its  name 
from  a  former  Indian  village.  Mr.  George  Page, 
whose  family  have  been  in  possession  of  the 
Cotate  ranch  since  1849,  states  that  he  has  never 
been  able  to  ascertain  the  meaning  of  the  word. 

Coyote  (western  wolf).     See  pages  42  and  179. 

Los  Coyotes  (the  wolves). 

Criicero,  a  word  having  several  meanings, 
possibly  in  this  case  "cross-roads." 

Las  Cruces  (the  crosses),  is  in  Santa  Barbara 
County. 

Cruz  (cross) .  Santa  Cruz  (holy  cross) .  See  page  153. 

Cucamonga,  in  San  Bernardino  County,  derived 
its  name  from  an  Indian  village.    See  page  80. 

Cueros  de  Venado  (hides  of  deer),  the  name  of  a 
land  grant. 

370 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Cuesta  (hill,  ridge,  slope  of  a  hill).  Cuesta  is  the 
name  of  the  old  stage  road  leading  from  Santa 
Margarita  to  San  Luis  Obispo.  It  was  so  named 
because  the  road  came  over  the  crest  of  the  Santa 
Lucia  range.     Seepage  128. 

Cuyamaca.     See  page  42. 

Cypress  Point.     See  page  145. 

DeJiesa  (pasture  ground),  is  in  San  Diego 
County. 

Delgada  Point  (thin,  or  narrow  point).  See 
page  260. 

Dc  Liiz  (literally  "of  light"),  but  in  this  case  a 
surname. 

Del  Mar  (of  the  sea).     Modern. 

Del  Monte  (of  the  wood  or  hill).  The  Hotel 
del  Monte,  near  Monterey,  was  so  called  from  the 
grove  of  magnificent  live-oaks  in  which  it  stands. 
Modern. 

Del  Norte  (of  the  north),  is  the  name  of  the 
countv  in  the  extreme  northwestern  corner  of  the 
state. 

Del  Paso  (of  tin-  i)ass). 

Del  Rev  (of  tin-  king). 

Del  Rio  (of  ihu  river). 

Del  Rosa  (of  the  rose).    Unless  this  is  a  surname, 

371 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


the  construction  is  incorrect,  and  should  be  De  la 
Rosa. 

Descanso  (rest).     See  page  43. 

Diablo  (devil).     See  page  217. 

Dolores  (sorrows,  pains).  For  Mission  Dolores 
See  pages  194  and  339. 

El  Dorado  (the  gilded  man).     See  page  300. 

Dos   (two). 

Dos  Cabezas  (two  heads). 

Dos  Pal  mas  (two  palms) . 

Dos  Pahs  (two  sticks,  or  trees).    See  page  283. 

Dos  Puchlos  (two  towns).    See  page  106. 

Dos  Valles  (two  valleys). 

Diiarte  (a  surname).     See  page  80. 

Dulzura  (sweetness).     See  page  43. 

Point  Duma,  on  the  coast  north  of  San  Pedro, 
was  named  by  Vancouver  for  "the  reverend  friar 
Father  Francisco  Duma,  priest  at  Buena  Ven- 
tura," as  an  expression  of  his  gratitude  for  the 
father's  courtesy  in  furnishing  the  explorers  with 
abundant  supplies  of  vegetables  from  the  mission 
gardens. — (Mr.  Charles  B.  Turrill.) 

Eliseo  (Elisha). 

Embarcadero  (landing-place).  There  were  a 
number  of  cmbarcaderos  in  the  state,  in  Sonoma, 

372 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


A 


Santa  Clara  and  other  places.  The  street  skirting 
the  San  Francisco  water  front  is  now  called  the 
Emharcadero,  having  been  recently  changed  from 
East  Street. 

Encanto  (enchantment,  charm),  is  in  San  Diego 
County.  Encanto  "was  so  named  on  account  of 
its  especially  pleasant  climate,  being  frostless,  and 
always  cool  in  the  summer,  with  beautiful  views 
of  the  ocean  and  bay  and  the  city  of  San  Diego. 
It  was  named  by  Miss  Alice  Klauber." — (W.  A. 
Shaules.) 

Encinal  (o'dk  woods),  is  in  Santa  Clara  County. 

Encinal  y  Biiena  Esperanza  (oak  woods  and  good 
hope),  the  combined  name  of  two  land  grants. 

Las  Encinitas  (the  little  live-oaks) .    See  page  43 . 

El  Encino  (the  live-oak).    See  page  211. 

Enscnada  (bay),  used  often  by  the  Si)aniards 
in  referring  to  a  kirge,  wide-open  bay. 

Ejitrc  Xapa  (between  Xapa),  the  name  of  a 
land  grant  referring  to  the  land  between  Napa 
Creek  and  Nai)a  Ri\er. 

Enlrr  Xapa  6  Rincoii  dr  las  Cameras,  combined 
name  of  Iwo  land  grants  (between  Napa  or 
corner  of  the  slieep). 

Escaldn  (step),  is  the  name  of  a  place  twenty 

373 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


miles  from  Stockton,  on  the  Santa  Fe  Road. 
According  to  Mr.  Romane  Moll,  a  resident  of 
Escalon,  the  word  is  used  in  the  sense  of  "stepping- 
stone,"  and  was  taken  from  a  city  in  Mexico, 
where  an  important  battle  was  fought  during  the 
recent  revolution. 

Escondido  (hidden).    See  page  43. 

El  Escorpion  (the  scorpion). 

Esmeralda  (emerald).     See  page  330. 

Espada  (sword).     See  page  102, 

Esparto  (a  sort  of  tough  feather  grass).  See 
page  283. 

Esperanza  (hope).     See  page  283. 

Espinosa  (a  surname).  This  place  is  in  Mon- 
terey County. 

Espifitu  Santo  (holy  ghost). 

Esquon  (a  surname). 

Estero  (an  estuary  or  creek  into  which  the  tide 
flows  at  flood  time). 

Los  Esteros  (the  estuaries).     See  page  128  . 

Estero  Americano   (American  Estuary). 

Estrada  (a  surname).  This  place  is  in  Mon- 
terey County. 

Estrella  (a  star).     See  page  128. 

Estudillo  (a  surname).     Near  San  Leandro. 

374 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


Etiwanda,  in  San  Bernardino  County,  is  a 
transplanted  Indian  name,  given  in  honor  of  an 
Indian  chief  of  Michigan,  by  Mr.  George  Chaff ey, 
founder  of  the  CaHfornia  colony. 

Falda  (skirt,  slope  of  a  hill).  In  San  Diego 
County. 

Famoso  (famous),  is  in  Kern  County.  The 
origin  of  this  name  has  not  been  ascertained. 

Fandango  Peak  is  in  Modoc  County.  The 
fandango  is  a  Spanish  dance.  Its  application  in 
this  case  has  not  been  ascertained. 

Farallones  (small  pointed  islands  in  the  sea). 
See  pages  212  and  i,^(.). 

Feather  River,  see  page  297. 

Felipe  (Philip). 

Feliz  (happy,  fortunate),  also  a  surname. 

Fernandez  (a  surname). 

Fernando   (Ferdinand). 

Point  Firmin,  north  of  San  Pedro,  was  named 
by  Vancouver  for  the  father  president  of  the  Fran- 
ciscan Order. — (Mr.  Charles  B.  Turrill.) 

Las  Flores  (the  llowers).     See  page  80. 

Fortiinas  (fortunes).  Cai)c  Fortunas  is  on  the 
coast  of  Humboldt  County,  north  of  Cape  Mendo- 
cino.    See  page  260. 

375 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Fresno  (ash  tree).     See  page  277. 

Gabildn,  or  Gavildn  (hawk).     See  page  159  . 

Las  Gallinas  (the  chickens),  in  Marin  County. 
A  tribe  called  Gallinomcro  occupied  Dry  Creek 
and  Russian  River  below  Healdsburg,  and  there 
may  be  some  connection  between  this  name  and 
Las  Gallinas  Rancho  in  Marin  County.  Las 
Gallinas  may  be  a  mere  corruption  of  Gallinomero. 

Gamboa  Point,  on  the  coast  of  Monterey 
County.    Gamboa  is  a  surname. 

Garcia  (a  surname).     See  page  260. 

Garvanza  (chick-pea).     See  page  80. 

Los  Gatos  (the  cats).    See  pages  177  and  339. 

Gaviota  (sea  gull).  Probably  so  called  from  the 
large  number  of  these  birds  which  frequent  the 
mouth  of  the  little  creek  that  flows  into  the  sea 
at  this  point.    See  page  107. 

German  (a  surname  of  a  pioneer  family). 

Golden  Gate.     See  page  197. 

La  Goleta  (the  schooner).  This  place  is  said  to 
have  been  so  called  because  a  schooner  was 
stranded  there  in  early  days.    See  page  107. 

Gonzales  (a  surname).    See  page  159. 

Gorda  (fat).     See  page  159. 

Graciosa  (graceful,  witty). 

376 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Granada  is  twenty-seven  miles  from  San  Fran- 
cisco, on  the  Ocean  Shore  Line,  and  was  probably 
named  for  the  province  in  Spain  of  the  same  name. 
Ciranada  also  means  pomegranate. 

Las  GriiUas  (the  cranes).     See  page  159. 

Guadalupe  (a  Christian  name).  See  pages  107 
and  340. 

Guadalupe  y  Llaiiilos  de  los  Correos  (Guadalupe 
and  the  jilains  of  the  mails),  combined  name  of 
two  land  grants.  Correos  (mails),  may  have 
been  used  in  reference  to  mails  brought  by  mes- 
senger to  the  Spaniards  while  they  were  encamped 
upon  these  plains. 

Gualala.     See  page  260. 

Guenoc,  an  Indian  word,  meaning  not  ascer- 
tained. 

Los  Guilicos,  in  Sonoma  County,  named  for  a 
former  Indian  tribe  lixing  in  Nai)a  County,  near 
Santa  Rosa. 

Gu'uula  (fruit  of  tlic  wild  clicrry).  This  |)lace 
is  in  ^'olo  County,  near  Woodland. 

/.(/  Ilabra  (the  ()])ening,  or  ])ass),  here  refers 
to  an  opening  in  I  lie  hills,  and  is  situated  a  short 
distance  southeast  of  W'hillicr,  in  ()rangc'  (\)unt\-. 

Uermosa  (beautiful).     See  page  80. 

377 


PLACE     NAMES     OF      CALIFORNIA 


Hermosillo,  probably  named  for  the  town  of 
Hermosillo  in  Mexico. 

Hernandez  (a  surname),  is  in  San  Benito  County. 

Hetch  Heichy.  A  deep  valley  in  the  Sierra. 
See  page  330. 

Honcut,  a  place  south  of  Oroville,  in  Butte 
County,  named  from  a  tribe  of  Maidu  Indians 
who  formerly  lived  near  the  mouth  of  Honkut 
creek. 

Honda  (deep).  Honda  is  in  Santa  Barbara 
County,  and  there  is  also  La  Honda,  referring  to 
a  deep  canyon,  in  San  Mateo  County.  The  name 
is  incomplete  in  this  form,  and  probably  in  its 
original  form  was  La  Canada  Honda. 

Hoopa.     See  page  261. 

Hornitos   (little  ovens).     See  page   283. 

Huasna,  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County,  received 
its  name  from  a  former  Indian  village  near  Puri- 
sima  Mission  in  Santa  Barbara  County.  The 
signification  of  the  word  has  not  been  ascer- 
tained. 

Hueneme,  the  name  of  a  former  Chumash 
Indian  village  on  the  coast,  a  few  miles  south  of 
Saticoy,  in  Ventura  County. 

Los  Huecos  (the  hollows). 

378 


THEIR     MEANING      AND      ROMANCE 


Iluerhuero  Creek.  Huerhuero  is  said  to  be  a 
corruption  of  guerguero,  a  stream  of  water  which 
make-^  a  gurghng  noise.  An  attempt  is  made  to 
imitate  the  sound  by  the  word.  Huerhuero  Creek 
is  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County,  near  Paso  de 
Robles. 

Iluerta  de  Romiialdo  6  el  Chorro  (orchard  of 
Romualdo,  a  Christian  name,  or  the  gushing 
stream).  This  is  the  combined  name  of  two  land 
grants. 

IJuicliica,  the  name  of  a  land  grant  derived 
from  an  Indian  village  called  Hiite/ii,  formerly 
situated  near  the  plaza  in  the  town  of  Sonoma. 

Iliiililic,  the  name  of  a  former  Indian  ranchcria 
near  Santa  Barbara.  Mentioned  in  the  mission 
archives. 

II unto  (eye),  is  the  Indian  name  of  a  mountain 
in   the  Yosemite. 

II  yam  pom, in  Trinity  County,  is  an  Indian  name, 
meaning  not  ascertained. 

I  aqua,  the  name  of  a  ])lace  in  Humboldt  County, 
was  a  sort  of  familiar  salutation,  something  like 
our  "hello,"  with  whiiii  tiu'  Indians  of  Humboldt 
and  adjacent  counties  greeted  each  other  when 
they  met.     From  hearing  the  word  so  often  the 

379 


PLACE     NAMES     OF      CALIFORNIA 


whites  finally  adopted  it  as  the  name  of  this 
place, 

Ignacio  (Ignatius). 

Inaja,  or  Inoje,  was  the  name  of  a  former 
Indian  village  near  San  Diego.  Mentioned  in  the 
mission  archives.  The  meaning  of  the  word 
Inaja  is  "my  water." 

Indio  (Indian).     See  page  80. 

Inyo.     See  page  327. 

Isleta  (small  island). 

Jacinto  (hyacinth),  also  used  as  a  Christian 
name. 

Jamacha  was  a  former  Indian  village  near  San 
Diego. 

Jamon  (ham).  The  application  of  this  peculiar 
name  has  not  been  ascertained,  and  there  is  always 
the  possibility  that  it  is  a  corrupted  word  and  has 
no  such  meaning. 

Jamul,  in  San  Diego  County,  is  a  place  name  of 
the  Dieguefio  Indians. 

Jarame,  the  name  of  a  tribe  thought  to  have 
been  natives  of  the  region  around  San  Antonio, 
Texas. 

Jesus  Maria  (Jesus  Mary). 

Jimeno,  a  surname  of  a  pioneer  family. 

380 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


La  J  oil  a.    See  pages  44  and  340. 

Joldn.     See  page  159. 

La  Joya  (the  jewel).  This  name  is  compara- 
tively modern,  and  has  its  origin  in  the  fact  that 
the  residents,  like  those  of  every  other  California 
town,  thought  their  place  the  bright  particular 
"jewel"  of  the  locality.  La  Joya  Peak  is  in  Los 
Angeles  County.     See  pages  80  and  340. 

Juan  (John).     J  nana  (Jane). 

Juarez  (a  surname).  The  name  of  Benito 
Juarez,  the  Mexican  patriot  who  led  the  national 
armies  to  victory  against  Maximilian,  is  one  of 
which  e\'ery  native  of  that  country  must  be  proud. 
This  man  was  a  brilliant  example  of  the  triumi:)h 
of  natural  genius  over  tremendous  obstacles. 
He  was  of  i)ure  native  blood,  and  had  so  few 
advantages  in  his  youth  that  at  tlie  age  of  twelve 
he  was  still  unable  to  read  or  write,  or  even  to 
speak  the  Spanish  language.  Yet,  his  ambition 
once  aroused,  he  succeeded  in  at(iuiring  a  collegi- 
ate education,  graduating  with  the  degree  of 
Bachiller  (bachelor  in  science  or  art),  and  later 
became  President  of  the  Mexican  Republic. 
Among  the  early  settlers  of  California  is  the  name 
of  Cayctano  Juarez,  who  was  at  one  time  an  oflkial 

3S1 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


at  Solano,  and  who  took  part  in  many  Indian 
expeditions. 

La  Junta  (union,  junction,  meeting  of  persons 
for  consultation).    See  page  340. 

Las  Juntas  (the  junctions,  or  meetings). 

Kawia,  the  name  of  an  Indian  tribe  near 
Fresno. 

Kings  County  and  River.     See  page  278. 

Klamath.     See  page  249. 

Laguna  (lake  or  lagoon),  in  Sonoma  and  Orange 
Counties.  There  were  many  lagunas  in  the 
state.    See  page  80. 

Laguna  del  Corral  (lake  or  lagoon  of  the  yard). 
See  page  44. 

Point  Laguna  (lake  or  lagoon  point).  See 
page  261. 

Laguna  de  las  Calabasas  (lagoon  of  the  pump- 
kins). Calabasas  in  this  case  may  be  a  corruption 
of  the  name  of  an  Indian  tribe,  Calahuasa.  See 
page  79. 

Laguna  de  la  Merced  (lagoon  or  lake  of  mercy). 
Lake  Merced. 

Laguna  de  los  Palos  Colorados  (lagoon  of  the 
redwoods) . 

Laguna  Puerca   (muddy   lagoon),   in   the   San 

382 


T  H  E  I  R      M  E  A  N  I  N  G     AND      R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


Francisco   district.      This   name   does   not   mean 
"Hog  Lake,"  as  has  been  stated. 

Laguna  del  Rey  (lagoon  of  the  king). 

Laguna  de  San  Antonio  (lagoon  of  St.  Anthony). 

Laguna  Seca  (drv^  lagoon).    See  page  340. 

Lagunitas  (little  lagoons  or  kikes),  one  in 
Invo  County  and  one  in  Marin  County.  See 
page  340. 

Lancha  Plana  (flat-boat).     See  page  330. 

Largo  (long).  This  place  is  in  Mendocino 
County.  The  name  of  this  station  represents  an 
inversion  of  the  usual  order  of  naming,  since  it  is 
a  translation  into  Spanish  of  the  name  of  Mr.  L.  V . 
Long,  a  pioneer  of  Mendocino  County. 

Laurelcs  (laurels).     See  page  159. 

Leon  (Hon).  See  ])age  80.  This  name  turns  out 
not  to  be  Spanish  in  origin,  l)ut  merely  the  name 
of  an  American  who  first  had  charge  of  the  post- 
office  there. 

Lerdo  (a  sunuiini'),  is  in   Kern  County. 

L(i   lAebrc  (the  hare,  or  jac  k-ral)l)it). 

Linda  Rosa  (lovel}-  rose),  is  forty-eight  mik's 
from  San   Bernardino. 

Linda  Vista  (lovel\   \  iew).     See  i)age  45. 

Llagas  (wounds,  or  stigmata).     See  page  179. 

3«5 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Llanada  (a  wide,  level  plain).     See  page  159. 

Llanitos  de  los  Correos  (plains  of  the  mails). 
Correo  was  used  to  mean  a  King's  messenger, 
mail  or  bag  of  letters,  and  it  is  possible  that  at 
this  point  a  messenger  or  mail  carrier  caught  up 
with  the  exploring  party. 

Llano  (a  flat,  level  field).  There  are  places 
bearing  this  name  in  Los  Angeles  and  Sonoma 
Counties. 

Llano  de  Buena  Vista  (plain  of  the  good  view). 

Llano  de  Santa  Rosa  (plain  of  St.  Rose). 

Llano  Seco  (dry  plain). 

Llano  de  Tequisquite  (plain  of  saltpetre).  Te- 
quisquite  is  an  Aztec  word. 

Llorones  (the  weepers),  a  name  given  to  a  place 
in  the  vicinity  of  San  Francisco  Bay,  for  the  reason 
given  in  Palou's  account  of  the  expedition  to  that 
region  in  1776,  as  follows:  "The  launch  went 
out  again  with  the  pilot  Bautista  Aguiray  to 
examine  the  arm  of  the  sea  that  runs  to  the  south- 
east; they  saw  nothing  more  than  two  or  three 
Indians  who  made  no  other  demonstration  than 
to  weep,  for  which  reason  the  place  was  called 
La  Ensenada  de  los  Llorones  (the  bay  of  the 
weepers)." 

386 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Lohitos  (little  seals),  is  on  the  Ocean  Shore  Line, 
near  San  Francisco. 

Lobos  (wolves,  also  sea-wolves,  or  seals).  See 
pages  i6o  and  226. 

Loma  (hill). 

Point  Loma  (hill  point).    See  page  45. 

Loma  Linda  (beautiful  hill),  is  in  San  Ber- 
nardino County, 

Loma  Pricta  (dark  hill).     See  page  160. 

Lomas  de  la  Purificacion  (hills  of  the  purifi- 
cation). 

Lomas  de  Sanliai^o  (hills  of  St.  James). 

Loma  Vista  (hill  view),  near  Los  Angeles. 
Modern  and  improper  in  construction.  It  should 
be   Vista  de  la  Loma. 

Lomcrias  Mucrtas  (dead  hills),  possibly  should 
be  Lomcrias  dc  los  Mncrtos  (hills  of  the  dead). 

Lomitas  (little  hills),  north  of  San  Francisco. 

Lompoc,  an  Indian  name.     See  i)age  108. 

Lopez  (a  surname).     See  page  128. 

Lorenzo  (Lawrence) . 

Lugo  (a  surname),  that  of  a  family  of  early 
settlers.  This  i)lace  is  thirt}'  miles  from  San 
Bernardino. 

De  Liiz  (a  surname).     See  page  45. 

387 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Madera  (wood).     See  page   277. 

Madrone,  properly  spelled  Madrono,  a  native 
tree  of  California.     See  page  179. 

Malaga,  the  name  of  a  province  in  Southern 
Spain  celebrated  for  its  exports  of  grapes,  raisins, 
oranges,  lemons,  figs  and  almonds.  As  raisins 
are  among  the  chief  products  of  this  part  of 
Fresno  County,  the  town  of  Malaga  was  so  named 
from  the  Spanish  province. 

Manca,  or  Manka.  To  prevent  the  unwary 
rom  falling  into  the  erroneous  belief  that  this 
name  is  Spanish  or  Indian,  the  rather  humorous 
story  of  Manka  is  told  here.  The  story  goes  that  it 
was  named  for  a  German  who  came  there  in  '67, 
built  a  little  sixteen  by  twenty-four  foot  shanty 
and  sold  whiskey.  It  was  his  proud  boast  that  in 
the  fifteen  years  he  ran  this  business  he  never 
renewed  his  stock.    The  inference  may  be  drawn. 

Manteca  (lard,  butter),  is  near  Modesto.  This 
place  was  so  called  by  the  railroad  company  in 
reference  to  a  creamery  existing  there.  In  Spanish 
America  butter  is  called  mantequilla. 

Manzana  (apple),  is  in  Los  Angeles  County. 

Manzanita  (little  apple),  a  native  shrub  that 
is  one  of  the  most  striking  objects  in  the  Cali- 

388 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


fornia  woods.  Fremont  says  of  it:  "A  new  and 
singular  shrub  was  very  frequent  to-day.  It 
branched  out  near  the  ground,  forming  a  clump 
eight  to  ten  feet  high,  with  pale  green  leaves  of 
an  oval  form,  and  the  bod}'  and  branches  had  a 
naked  appearance  as  if  stripped  of  the  bark,  which 
is  very  smooth  and  thin,  of  a  chocolate  color,  con- 
trasting well  with  the  pale  green  of  the  leaves." 
Towns  in  Marin,  San  Diego,  and  Tehama  Counties 
bear  the  name  of  Manzanita. 

Powers,  in  his  Tribes  of  California,  describes 
the  method  of  making  manzanita  cider  practiced 
by  the  Indians,  as  follows:  "After  reducing  the 
berries  to  Hour  by  pounding,  they  carefully  remove 
all  the  seeds  and  skins,  then  soak  the  flour  in 
water  for  a  considerable  length  of  time.  A  scjuaw 
then  heaps  it  u])  in  a  little  mound,  with  a  crater 
in  the  center,  into  which  she  ])ours  a  minute 
stream  of  water,  allowing  it  to  ])ercolate  through. 
In  this  way  she  gets  about  a  gallon  an  hour 
of  a  rcallx  delicious  beverage,  clear,  cool,  clean, 
and  richer  than  most  California  apple  cider. 
As  the  Indians  always  drink  il  ii])  before  it 
has  lime  to  ferment,  it  is  ne\er  intoxicating." 
l''ren-ionl    also     nuiilions     this    as     a     \-er\     deli- 

389 


PLACE     NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


cious  drink  that  he  had  tasted  when  among  the 
Indians. 

Manzanita  Knob,  in  Tulare  County,  is  near  the 
summit  of  the  Sierras. 

M apache  Peak  (raccoon  peak). 

Mar  (the  sea). 

Del  Mar  (of  the  sea). 

Mare  Island.     See  page  206. 

Maricopa  is  the  name  of  an  Arizona  tribe.  The 
word  is  said  to  mean  "bean  people,"  which  is 
probably  the  correct  definition. — (A.  L.  Kroeber.) 

Marin.     See  page  219. 

Mariposa  (butterfly).     See  page  317. 

Martinez  (a  surname).     See  page  229. 

Matilija.     See  pages  103  and  340. 

Medanos,  also  spelled  Meganos  (sand-banks,  or 
dunes).     This  place  is  in  Contra  Costa  County. 

Media  (middle),  is  in  Madera  County. 

Mendocino.     See  page  248. 

Mendota  (a  surname),  is  in  Fresno  County. 

Merced  (mercy).    See  pages  276  and  340. 

Mesa  (table,  table-land).    See  pages  45  and  340. 

La  Mesa  (the  table  or  table-land),  is  in  San 
Diego  County. 

Mesa  Grande  (big  table-land).     See  page  46. 

390 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


Mesa  dc  Ojo  dc  Agiia  (table-land  of  the 
spring). 

Mesqiiitc  fa  native  shrub  of  the  locust  variety). 

Mil  pitas  (Uttle  patches  of  corn).  This  word  is 
said  to  be  the  diminutive  of  mil  pa  (a  patch  of 
maize  or  corn),  but  in  that  case  must  have  referred 
to  corn  cultivated  b\-  Mexicans,  since  the  Cali- 
fornia Indians  raised  no  cultivated  crops,  but 
subsisted  entirely  on  the  natural  products  of  the 
land.  Mil  pitas  is  a  village  in  Santa  Clara  County, 
which  for  some  unexplained  reason,  has  come  to 
be  used  as  a  term  of  derision,  the  "jum])ing  off 
place  of  creation."  It  was  ])n)bably  the  name  of 
a  land  grant. 

La  Mirada  (the  view).     See  page  80. 

Miramar  (sea-view),  is  the  name  of  a  post 
town  in  San  Diego  County  and  of  a  summer  resort 
near    Santa    Barbara. 

Miramontcs  (a  surname).  Candelario  Mira- 
montes,  a  native  of  Mexico,  was  the  grantee  ol  the 
Pilarcitos  Rancho  in  '41. 

Mision  Vicjii,  or  La  Paz  (old  mission  or  the 
peace).     Land  grant. 

Mision  \'i(/(i  dc  Id  Piirisima  (old  mission  ol  llic 
Immaculate  Concei)tion). 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Mocho  Peak,  in  Santa  Clara  County.  Mocho 
means  "cropped,  cut  off." 

Modesto  (modest).     See  page  288. 

Modoc  (people  of  the  south).     See  page  250. 

Mojave,  or  Mohave.  Mojave,  also  spelled 
Mohave,  is  an  Indian  tribal  name  of  disputed 
meaning.  It  has  been  stated  that  it  comes  from 
hamucklihabi  (three  hills),  but  this  view  is  posi- 
tively contradicted  by  scientists.  In  the  docu- 
ments of  the  Spanish  explorers  the  Mojaves  are 
referred  to  as  Amajabas.  The  Mojave  River  is 
remarkable  in  that  it  has  no  true  outlet,  but  sinks 
into  the  alkaline  soil  of  the  desert  near  the  middle 
of  San  Bernardino  County. 

Mokelumne.     See  Moquelumne. 

Molino  (mill,  or  mill-stone).     See  page  80. 

Los  Molinos  (the  mills,  or  mill-stones).  See 
page  80. 

El  Rio  de  los  Molinos  (the  river  01  the  mill- 
stones), now  called  Mill  Creek,  in  Tehama 
County.     See  page  80. 

Mono.     See  page  324. 

Mo7ita.vo  (a  surname),  in  Ventura  County. 
See  page  81. 

Monte  (hill  or  wood).    Monte  was  generally  used 

392 


THEIR      MEANING      AND      ROMANCE 


in  the  sense  of  "wood"  or  "forest"  by  the  Spanish- 
Americans  of  the  eighteenth  century. 

El  Monte  (the  hill  or  the  wood) . 

Del  Monte  (of  the  wood  or  hill).  In  t^ca^e 
of  the  Hotel  del  Monte,  near  Monterey,  the  name 
refers  to  the  grove  of  fine  live-oaks  in  the  center 
of  which  the  hotel  stands. 

Montecito  (little  hill  or  wood).     See  page  loi. 

Monterey    (hill    or    wood    of    the    king).      See 

page  133. 

Monte  Vista  (mountain  view).  ^Modern  and 
improper  in  construction.  It  should  be  Vista  del 
Monte. 

Moquehimne,  or  Mokelumnc.     See  page  331. 

Moreno  (a  surname).  One  of  the  leading  mem- 
bers of  this  numerous  family  was  Antonio  Moreno, 
a  native  of  Lower  California. 

Mora  Cojo  (lame  Moor).    See  page  160. 

Moron  (hillock,  mound).  This  i)lacc  is  near 
Bakersfield. 

Morro  (a  round  headland,  bluff),  ll  is  upon 
such  a  rock  ihal  the  well-known  Mono  Castle  at 
Havana  is  situated.  See  i)age  12S.  This  place 
receives  its  name  Ironi  .Morro  Rock,  a  remarkable 
round  rock,  600  feet  high,  situated  at  the  enlrante 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


to  the  bay.  The  name  has  no  reference  to  its 
grey  color,  as  some  people  imagine,  but  refers  to 
its  shape — round  like  a  head. 

Mugu  Point,  on  the  coast  of  Ventura  County. 
The  Mugus  were  a  tribe  of  Indians.  The  word 
mugu  means  "beach." 

Muniz  (a  surname). 

Murietta  (a  surname).     See  page  8i. 

Nacimiento  (birth),  referring  in  this  case  to  the 
birth  of  Christ.    See  page  128. 

La  Nacion  (the  nation).    See  Del  Rey,  page  371. 

Napa,  formerly  pronounced  Napa.  See  page  242. 

Naranjo  (orange-tree),  in  Tulare  County. 

La  Natividad  (the  nativity).     See  page  160. 

Natoma,  is  a  name  about  which  the  romanticists 
have  concocted  some  pleasing  theories  upon  very 
slender  foundation.  According  to  scientists  it 
is  a  tribal  name,  indicating  direction,  a  favorite 
method  of  naming  among  the  Indians.  It  may 
mean  "north  people,"  or  "up-stream,"  or  "down- 
stream," or  some  such  term  of  direction.  By  a 
severe  wrench  of  the  imagination,  as  has  been 
suggested,  it  may  be  considered  that  "up-stream" 
would  eventually  lead  to  the  mountains,  and  that 
in  the  mountains  there  were  people,  among  whom 

394 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


there  were  undoubtedly  girls,  and  in  this  "long- 
distance" manner  Mr.  Joseph  Redding's  definition 
of  Natoma  as  the  "girl  from  the  mountains" 
might  be  evolved,  but  the  imagination  is  likely 
to  suffer  from  such  a  violent  strain.  In  the  same 
way,  the  persons  who  belie\-e  it  to  mean  "clear 
water"  may  have  acquired  this  idea  from  the 
simple  fact  that  the  word  contains  an  indirect 
reference  to  the  stream  in  pointing  out  the  direc- 
tion of  its  current.  It  is  disappointing  perhaps, 
but  nevertheless  true,  that  Californian  Indian 
nomenclature  has  little  of  romance  behind  it. 
The  Indians  usually  chose  names  based  upon 
practical  ideas,  most  often  ideas  <»f  direction, 
such  as  "north  people,"  "south  people,"  etc. 

Xavajo,  also  spelled  lavajo  (a  pool  where  cattle 
go  to  drink). 

Navarro  (a  surname).  In  Mendocino  County, 
west  of  Ukiah. 

Nevada  (snowy).    See  page  293. 

El  Nido  (the  nest).  See  page  46.  It  is  thought 
that  this  ])la(c  was  so  named  because  of  its  loca- 
tion ill  the  hills  and  mountains  suggesting  the  idea 
of  a  ncsl  in  !hr  l;iii(iscai)e,  Ijut  there  is  no  drhnite 
informatit)n  aljout  it. 

395 


PLACE      NAMES      OF       CALIFORNIA 


Los  Nietos  (literally  "the  grandchildren/'  but 
in  this  case  a  surname).    See  page  8i. 

Nimshew,  in  Butte  County.  This  is  an  Indian 
word,  from  Nimsewi  (big  river),  a  division  of 
Maidu  Indians  living  on  upper  Butte  Creek,  in 
Butte  County,  near  the  edge  of  the  timber. 

Nipomo,  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County,  is  probably 
Indian,  but  its  meaning  has  not  been  ascertained. 

Los  Nogales  (the  walnut-trees). 

Del  Norte  (of  the  north).    See  page  260. 

Novato  (new,  beginning  anything,  but  possibly 
in  this  case  a  surname).  The  exact  origin  of  the 
name  of  this  California  town  has  not  been  ascer- 
tained. The  place  is  in  Marin  County  and  as 
there  was  a  land  grant  there  called  El  Rancho  de 
Novato,  the  probabiUties  are  that  it  is  a  surname 
of  some  family  of  early  settlers. 

Noyo,  is  in  Mendocino  County.  It  was  the 
Indian  name  of  a  creek,  not  the  one  now  bearing 
the  name  of  Noyo,  but  of  another  one  in  the 
vicinity. 

Nuestra  Senora  del  Refugio  (our  lady  of  refuge) . 

Nuevo  (new).    In  San  Diego  County. 

Oakland  was  originally  called  Las  Encinas 
(the    oaks),    having    been    named    by    the    com- 

396 


T  HEIR      M  E  A  N  INC     A  X  I)      R  0  M  A  N  C  E 


mandante  at  Monterey  as  a  result  of  the  report 
of  Lieutenant  A'allejo  of  the  great  number  of 
those  trees  growing  upon  the  spot. — {Memoirs 
of  the  Vallejos,  edited  by  James  H.  Wilkins,  San 
Francisco  Bulletin,  January,  1914.) 

Oceano  (ocean),  near  San  Luis  Obispo. 

Ojai,  the  name  of  a  former  Indian  village  in 
Ventura  County,  popularly  translated  as  "nest" 
or  "big  tree,"  neither  of  which  can  be  looked 
upon  as  authentic.  According  to  Professor  A.  L. 
Kroeber,  the  meaning  of  the  word  Ojai  is  "moon." 

Los  Ojitos  (little  springs).     See  page  5S. 

Ojo  lie  Agiia  (spring  of  water).  See  pages  59 
and  .^40. 

Ojo  (!('  Aii^iKi  </(■  Figiteroa  (spring  of  Figueroa), 
the  last  word  being  a  surname.  The  Figueroa 
family  were  among  the  earliest  settlers 

Ojo  Caliente  (hot  si)ring). 

Ojo  de  Aii^ita  del  Coche  (spring  of  ihr  pig). 

OUuirhd,  in  Inyo  Counlw  just  below  Owens 
Lake,  was  named  for  the  Olanches  Indians  of 
southeastern    ( 'alifornia. 

Olema.     See  page  2\o. 

Oliveras  (olive-trees),  in  San  Luis  Obispo 
County.      01i\era   is  also  a   surname. 

397 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Los  Olivos  (the  olives).     See  page  io8. 

Olla  (a  round  earthen  pot,  also  a  whirlpool  in 
a  river  or  sea).  Its  application  here  has  not 
been  ascertained. 

Olompali  was  named  for  a  former  large  Moquel- 
umnan  village  in  Marin  County,  about  six  miles 
south  of  Petaluma. 

Onto,  in  El  Dorado  County,  is  the  name  of  a 
Moquel  village. 

Oro  Fino  (fine  gold),  in  Siskiyou  County.  See 
page  261. 

Oro  Grande  (large  or  coarse  gold),  forty-nine 
miles  north  of  San  Bernardino.  Also  in  Madera 
County. 

Oroville   (gold-town).      See   page   288. 

Oso  Flaco  (thin  bear).  In  San  Luis  Obispo 
County. 

Los  Osos  (the  bears).     See  page  128. 

Otay,  or  Otai,  was  the  name  of  a  former  Indian 
village  near  San  Diego.  It  may  have  first  been 
applied  to  the  Otey  or  Otay  land  grant. 

Otero  (literally  a  "hill,  or  eminence,"  but 
probably  a  surname  here). 

Pachappa,  near  Riverside,  Indian  name,  mean- 
ing not  ascertained. 

398 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      R  O  M  A  N  C  E 


Pacheco  (a  surname).    See  page  230. 

Pacoima,  near  Los  Angeles,  an  Indian  word, 
meaning  not  ascertained. 

Paicines,  also  spelled  Pajincs.     See  page  160. 

Pdjaro  (bird).    See  pages  152  and  340. 

Pala.     See  page  33. 

Palmas  (palms). 

Dos  Palmas  (two  palms),  in  Riverside  County, 
so  called  from  two  giant  palms  near  a  spring. 

Palo,  literally  "stick,"  was  used  by  the  Span- 
iards in  the  sense  of  "tree." 

Palo  Alto  (high  tree).    See  page  172. 

Palo  Blanco  (white  stick,  or  tree). 

Palo  Cedro  (cedar  tree),  in  Shasta  County. 

Palo  Colorado  (redwood  tree).  These  trees 
were  first  observed  and  named  by  Caspar  de 
Portola,  the  discoverer  of  San   I'rancisco  Bay. 

Dos  Palos  (two  sticks,  or  trees).     See  page  283. 

Paloma  (dove,  pigeon). 

Palo  Vcrdc  (green  tree). 

Panamiiil  Raui^r.     See  ])age  332. 

Panoclia.     See  page   i5o. 

/.(/  Pa)iza  (the  paunch),  in  San  Luis  Obisix) 
County,  so  named  by  some  hunters  who  placed 
ihr  paunch  of  a  beef  to  catch  bear.     Lu   Palrta 

399 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


(shoulder-blade)  and  El  Carnaso  (loin)  were  put 
out  in  other  places,  and  the  names  still  remain. 

Las  Papas  (potatoes)  Hill,  is  in  the  San  Fran- 
cisco district.  Papa  (potato),  is  provincial  and 
American. 

Par  also  (paradise).     See  page  i6i. 

Paraje  de  Sanchez  (place  or  station  of  Sanchez). 

Pasadena  (crown  of  the  valley).     See  page  82. 

Paskenta,  in  Tehama  County,  ib  Indian  and 
means  "under  the  bank." 

Paso  (pass). 

El  Paso  (the  pass),  of  the  Truckee  River. 

El  Paso  Peak  (the  pass  peak),  in  Kern  County. 

Del  Paso  (of  the  pass),  near  Sacramento. 

Paso  de  Bartolo  (pass  of  Bartolo),  the  last  a 
Christian  name. 

Paso  de  Robles  (pass  of  the  oaks).  See  pages  124 
and  340. 

Pasloria  de  las  Borrcgas  (pasture  of  the  ewe- 
lambs). 

La  Patera  (a  place  where  ducks  congregate). 
In  early  days  the  fresh  water  swamps  near  here 
abounded  with  ducks.  La  Patera  is  a  flag  station 
in  Santa  Barbara  County. 

La  Paz  (the  peace) .    Probably  a  peace  arranged 

400 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


with  the  Indians,  or  it  may  have  been  named  for 
La  Paz  in  Lower  CaHfornia. 

Pecho  Rock,  near  San  Luis  Obispo.  The  reason 
for  this  name  has  not  been  discovered,  but  it  may 
be  a  reference  to  the  shape  of  the  rock.  Pecho 
means  "breast." 

Pedernales  (flints).     See  page  104. 

I.os  Pefiasqiiitos  (the  little  cliffs),  in  San  Diego 
County. 

Per  aha  (a  surname),  that  of  a  pioneer  family. 

Pcras  (pears)  Creek,  in  Los  Angeles  County. 

Los  Pcrros  fthc  dogs),  possibly  Indian  dogs. 

Pescadcro  Point  (fishing-place  point).  See  i)age 
231. 

Petal  lima.     See  page  261. 

Picaclws  Moiuildiiis,  a  ridge  east  of  San  Fran- 
cisco Bay.  Picliacos  are  frequent,  isolated,  conical 
peaks. 

Picaclw  (top,  shaqvpointed  summit),  is  the 
name  of  a  ])ost  \illage  in  Iinj)crial  Count \'. 

Pico  (a  surname),  ten  miles  from  Los  Angeles. 
Jose  Maria  Pico  of  Sinaloa  was  the  founder  of 
this  family,  and  its  most  notable  member  was  his 
son,  Pio  Pico,  at  on^  time  governor  of  California. 
According  to  Ham  lofl.  \\\c  (liaraclcr  of  I'lo  Pico 

401 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


was  a  mixture  of  good  and  bad,  in  which  the  good 
predominated.  "He  was  abused  beyond  his 
deserts;  he  was  a  man  of  ordinary  intelhgence  and 
limited  education;  of  a  generous,  jovial  disposition, 
reckless  and  indolent,  fond  of  cards  and  women; 
disposed  to  be  fair  and  honorable  in  transactions, 
but  not  strong  enough  to  avoid  being  made  the 
tool  of  knaves.  He  did  not  run  away  with  large 
sums  of  money  obtained  by  sales  of  missions,  as 
has  been  charged." 

Piedra  (stone,  rock),  near  Fresno. 

Piedras  Blancas  (white  rocks).     See  page  128. 

Piedras  Grandes  (big  rocks). 

La  Piedra  Pintada  (the  painted  rock).  See 
page  108. 

Pilar  (literally  "pillar  of  stone").  Point  Pilar 
mav  have  been  named  for  Nuestra  Senora  del 
Pilar ^  (Our  Lady  of  the  pillar),  from  a  church  at 
Saragossa,  Spain,  where  there  is  an  image  of  the 
Virgin  on  a  marble  pillar.  Pilar  is  also  a  surname, 
that  of  a  pioneer  family,  for  whom  this  point  may 
have  been  named. 

Pilar ciios  (little  pillars,  or  little  Pilar  Ranch). 

Pilitas  (basins  or  water-holes  in  rock). 

PI  Pinal  (the  pine  grove),  in  San  Joaquin  County. 

402 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Pino  Blanco  (white  pine),  in  Mariposa  County. 

Pino  Grande  (big  pine),  in  El  Dorado  County, 
near  Placerville. 

Pinole  (parched  corn  ground  into  meal).  Point 
Pinole  was  so  named  because  the  expedition  under 
Lieutenant  Vallcjo  had  nothing  to  eat  but  pinole 
while  they  waited  at  that  spot  for  the  return  of  the 
car  gad  ores  with  provisions  from  Monterey. — {Mem- 
oirs of  the  Vallejos,  edited  by  James  H.  Wilkins, 
San  Francisco  Bulletin,  January,  1914.) 

Pinon  (pine  kernel,  also  the  scrub  pine,  a  very 
picturesque  tree  bearing  a  delicious  nut). 

Point  Pinos  (point  of  pines).     See  page  148. 

Tres  Pinos  (three  pines).     See  page  163. 

Pintado  Cpainted,  mottled). 

Pinto  Range  (painted  or  mottled  range).  See 
page  332. 

FJ  Piojo  (the  louse),  in  Monlcrc}-  Counl}-,  a 
sliort  distance  soutli  of  jolon. 

Pirn,  near  Camulos,  the  name  of  a  former 
Indian  vilhige. 

Pismo.     See  i)age  128. 

Pit  River.     See  page  294. 

/.(/  Pilii,  in  S;m  Diego  Count  \.  /'/'/(/  liaya  is  the 
Iruit  ol  the  eaetus  called  "pri(  kly  pear." 

403 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Placer.     See  page  304. 

Placerville.     See  page  305. 

Planada  (a  plain,  level  ground),  seventy-four 
miles  from  Stockton. 

Piano  (a  level  surface),  in  Tulare  County. 

La  Playa  (the  beach),  in  Santa  Barbara  County. 

Pleito  (quarrel,  lawsuit,  bargain).    See  page  161. 

Plumas  (feathers).     See  page  297. 

Las  Plumas  (the  feathers),  near  Oroville. 

Pomo.     See  page  261. 

Poncho  (cloak,  blanket). 

Poonkiny  (wormwood).  Poonkiny,  sometimes 
misspelled  Pookiny,  is  from  the  Yuki  Indian 
language. 

El  Portal  (the  gate),  the  entrance  to  the  Yosem- 
ite  Valley. 

Portold  (a  surname).    See  pages  231  and  340. 

Posa  (well,  pool,  also  spelled  by  the  Spaniards 
pozo,  poso).  The  fact  that  posa  also  has  the  mean- 
ing of  "passing  bell  for  the  dead"  has  caused  some 
rather  ludicrous  mistakes.  For  instance.  La  Posa 
de  los  Ositos  (the  pool  of  the  little  bears) ,  evidently 
refers  to  a  place  where  some  bears  were  seen 
drinking,  and  certainly  would  be  absurd  trans- 
lated as  "the  passing  beh  of  the  Httle  bears." 

404 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


When  used  as  names  of  places  the  connection 
makes  it  quite  clear  that  they  were  so  called  in 
reference  to  pools  of  water  present  on  the  spot. 

Las  Positas  (the  little  pools). 

Las  Positas  y  la  Calera  (the  little  wells,  or  pools, 
and  the  lime-kiln). 

Poso  (pool,  or  well),  in  Kern  County,  and  Poso 
in  San  Luis  Obispo  County. 

Los  Posos  (the  pools,  or  wells),  in  Ventura 
County. 

La  Posla  (person  who  rides  or  travels  post, 
post-house,  military  post,  etc.).  In  the  case  of 
La  Posta,  170  miles  from  the  Mission  Tule  River 
Agency,    it   probably   means   post-station. 

Potrero  (pasture,  generally  for  horses).  See 
pages  46,  161  and  231. 

Potrero  dc  los  Cerritos  (pasture  of  the  little 
hills). 

Potrero  Cliico  (little  pasture). 

Potrero  Grande  (big  ])asture). 

Potrero  y  Pi  neon  de  Sun  Pedro  (/e  Pet^lado 
(pasture  and  corner  of  St.  Peter  Regalatoj.  St. 
Peter  Regalato  was  a  TVanciscan,  and  was  "es- 
pecially distinguished  for  his  sublime  gift  of 
])rayer."     This  was  the  name  of  a  land  grant. 

405 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


El  Potrero  de  San  Carlos  (the  pasture  of  St. 
Charles) . 

Potrero  de  San  Francisco  (pasture  of  St.  Francis). 
This  district  still  goes  by  the  name  of  "the  po- 
trero" in  the  city  of  San  Francisco. 

Potrero  de  San  Luis  Obispo  (pasture  of  St.  Louis 
the  Bishop). 

El  Potrero  de  Santa  Clara  (the  pasture  of  St. 
Clara) . 

Poway,  in  San  Diego  County,  is  an  Indian  place 

name. 

Pozo  (pool,  well).     See  page  128. 

Prado  (meadow),  in  Riverside  County.  See 
page  82.  This  place  was  so  named  on  account  of 
its  resemblance  to  a  prairie. 

La  Presa  (dam,  dike).  See  page  46.  This  place 
is  so  called  from  the  Sweetwater  irrigation  dam 
located  there. 

Presidio  (garrison,  prison).    See  page  231. 

Prieta  (dark),  a  place  north  of  San  Francisco. 

Los  Prietos  (the  dark  ones) . 

Providencia  (providence) . 

Pueblo  (town). 

Los  Dos  Pueblos  (the  two  towns).  See  page  106. 

Puente  (bridge),  near  Los  Angeles.    See  page  82. 

406 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Las  Puentes  (the  bridges).    See  page  i6i. 

El  Puerto  (the  port),  of  San  Diego. 

Piilgas  (fleas).    See  pages  82  and  224. 

La  Punta  (the  point),  in  San  Diego  County. 

Piinta  Ahncjas  (mussel  point). 

Ptmta  Ano  Nuevo  (point  New  Year).    See  page 

157. 
Punta  Arenas  (sandy  point).    See  page  340. 

Punta  de  la  Concepcion  (point  of  the  immacu- 
late conception). 

Punta   Dclgada   (thin   or  narrow   point).      See 
page  260. 

Punta  Gorda  (fat  or  thick  point).  See  pages  108 
and  260. 

Punta  Guijarros  (])ebble  or  boulder  i)()int). 

Punta  dc  la  Laguna  (point  of  the  lagoon).     See 
page  261. 

Pu}ita  Loma  (hill  point j,  near  San  Diego.     See 
])age  45.     it  should  be  Punta  dc  la  Loma. 

Punta  dc  Pinos  (point  of  pines;.  Xear  .Monterc}'. 
J'age  14S. 

Punta  dc  los  Kcycs  (poiiU  of   ihc  kings).     Sec 
page  232. 

Punta  dc  las   Ritas   (i)oint   of   the   rites).      See 
page   108. 

407 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Purisima  Point  (point  of  the  most  pure  con- 
ception).    On  the  Santa  Barbara  Coast. 

Purisima  (most  pure),  in  San  Mateo  County. 

Point  Sal  (a  surname).     See  page  io8. 

Point  Siir  (south  point).    See  page  162. 

La  Quemada  (the  burned  place),  from  the  verb 
quemar  (to  burn).  This  name  refers  to  a  custom 
prevalent  among  the  Indians  of  burning  over  large 
tracts  of  land  for  the  purpose  of  killing  the  under- 
brush and  encouraging  the  growth  of  grass,  which 
resulted  in  attracting  game.  The  diaries  of  the 
Spaniards  refer  frequently  to  this  custom,  and 
speak  of  finding  a  great  deal  of  country  burned 
over  in  this  way.  One  writer  has  offered  to  his 
astonished  readers  the  translation  of  La  Quemada 
as  "the  over-full,  having  enough  to  eat." 

Qiiien  Sahe  (who  knows),  a  familiar  expression 
among  the  Spaniards. 

Quintin.     See  page  235. 

Quinto  (a  surname).  Simon  Tadeo  Quinto  was 
one  of  the  members  of  this  pioneer  family. 

Raimimdo  (Raymond). 

Ramirez  (a  surname),  near  Marysville. 

Ramona  (a  Christian  name),  well  known  as  that 
of  the  heroine  of  Mrs. Helen  Hunt  Jackson's  romance. 

408 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      R  0  M A  N  C  E 


Ranclicria,  a  word  meaning  "settlement,"  but 
generally  used  by  the  Spaniards  to  mean  an 
Indian  village. 

Rancheria  del  Bailc  de  las  Indias  (village  of  the 
dance  of  the  Indian  women).    See  page  loo. 

Rancheria  del  Corral  (village  of  the  yard). 

Rancheria  de  la  Espada  (village  of  the  sword). 
See  page  102. 

Rancheria  del  Rio  Estanislao  (village  of  the  river 
Stanislaus). 

Ranchita  de  Santa  Fe  (little  ranch  of  holy  faith). 

Rancho  del  Puerto  (ranch  of  the  pass). 

Raton  (mouse). 

Real  de  las  Agnilas  (camp  of  the  eagles). 

Redondo  (round).     See  page  82. 

Refugio  (refuge),  is  in  Santa  Barbara  (\)unty. 
Refugio  is  also  a  Christian  name. 

Represa  (dam),  so  called  on  account  of  a  dam 
at  that  point,  west  of  tlir  state  prison  at  Folsom. 

Del  Rey  (of  the  king),  also  known  as  El  Rancho 
Nacional  because  it  was  used  to  ])rovide  meat  and 
horses  for  the  military.  This  ranch  was  in  Fresno 
County. 

Reyes  (kings).     See  page  232. 

Ricardo  (Richard),  is  in  Kern  County. 

411 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Rincon  is  the  interior  angle  formed  by  the 
junction  of  two  walls  or  lines,  and  is  one  of  the 
terms  used  in  the  apportionment  of  land  grants. 

Rincon  (corner),  is  in  San  Bernardino  County. 

El  Rincon  (the  corner),  is  in  Los  Angeles  County, 
and  comprises  rich  agricultural  land  on  either 
side  of  the  Santa  Ana  River. 

Rinconada  is  the  corner  formed  by  two  houses, 
streets,  roads,  or  between  two  mountains. 

Rinconada  del  Arroyo  de  San  Francisquito 
(corner  of  the  creek  of  little  St.  Francis).  Land 
grant. 

Rincdn  de  los  Cameras  (corner  of  the  sheep). 
Land  grant. 

Rinconada  de  los  Gatos  (corner  of  the  cats 
— wild-cats).    Land  grant. 

Rincdn  de  la  Brea  (corner  of  the  asphalt). 
Land  grant. 

Rincdn  de  los  Bueyes  (corner  of  the  oxen) .  Land 
grant. 

Rincon  del  Diablo  (corner  of  the  devil).  Land 
grant. 

Rincon  de  los  Ester os  (corner  of  the  estuaries). 
Land  grant. 

Rincon  Point  (corner  point).    See  page  io8. 

412 


T  H  E  1  R     MEANING     AND      R  O  .M  A  N  C  K 


Rincon  dc  la  Puente  del  Monte  (corner  of  the 
bridge  of  the  wood,  or  hill).    Land  grant. 

Rincon  de  las  Salinas  (corner  of  the  salt 
marshes).    Land  grant. 

Rincon  dc  las  Salinas  y  Potrero  Viejo  (corner 
of  the  salt  marshes  and  the  old  pasture).  Land 
grant. 

Rincon  de  San  Francisqnito  (corner  of  little 
San   Francisco).     Land   grant. 

Rincon  del  San j on  (corner  of  the  slough). 
Land  grant. 

Rio  (river). 

El  Rio  de  los  Berrcndos  (the  river  of  the  ante- 
lopes).   See  page  40. 

Rio  Grande  (big  river). 

Rio  Jesus  Maria  (River  Jesus  Mary).  Land 
grant. 

El  Rio  dc  los  Molinos  (the  river  of  the  mill- 
stones).    See  page  (So. 

El  Rio  del  Xido  (the  ri\er  of  the  nest),  referring 
to  the  nest  ol  an  eagle  once  seen  in  a  tree  on  the 
banks  of  this  stream.  The  name  is  now  short- 
ened  into    l\i()   Xido,  or   Rionido. 

/{/  Rio  dc  Sanla  Clara  (the  ri\er  of  St.  Clara). 
Land  grant. 

413 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


El  Rio  de  los  Santos  Reyes  (the  river  of  the  holy 
kings).    See  page  278. 

Rio  Seco  (dry  river). 

Rio  Vista  (river  view).  See  page  289.  Im- 
proper construction.    It  should  be  Vista  del  Rio. 

El  Rito  (the  rite,  ceremony). 

Rivera,  literally  "brook,  creek,"  but  also  a 
surname.  The  Rivera  family  were  among  the 
pioneers.     See  page  82. 

Roblar  de  la  Miseria  (oak  grove  of  poverty, 
wretchedness).  It  is  likely  that  in  this  grove  the 
Spaniards  suffered  from  a  shortage  of  food  sup- 
plies, and  named  it  in  memory  of  their  suffer- 
ings.    Land  grant. 

Los  Robles  (the  oaks),  ten  miles  from  Los 
Angeles. 

Rodeo  (cattle  round-up).  See  pages  232  and  340. 
The  town  of  Rodeo  was  first  laid  out  to  maintain 
a  large  packing-house  for  meat,  but  this  was 
abandoned,  and  it  has  become  an  oil- refining  town. 

Rodeo  de  las  Aguas  (gathering  of  the  waters). 
See  page  82. 

Del  Rosa  (of  the  rose) ,  in  San  Bernardino  County. 
If  this  is  not  a  surname  it  is  improper  in  construc- 
tion, and  should  be  De  la  Rosa. 

414 


THEIR      MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


Los  Rosales  (the  rose-bushes). 

Rosario  (rosary),  procession  of  persons  who 
recite  the  rosar}\     Also  a  Christian  name. 

Sacate  (grass,  hay). 

Sacramento  (sacrament).     See  page  271. 

Sal,  in  the  case  of  Point  Sal  a  surname.  See 
page  108. 

Salada  (salted,  salty,  saline  land).  Near  San 
Francisco. 

Salazar  (a  surname),  that  of  a  pioneer  family. 

Salida  (exit,  out-gate),  village  in  Stanislaus 
County,  seven  miles  northwest  of  Modesto. 

Salinas  (salt-marshes).    See  pages    i48and  340. 

Sal  si  Piicdcs  ("get  out  if  you  can").  Seepage  109. 

La  Salmi  (health).    See  page  174. 

San  Andreas  (St.  Andrew).     See  page  333. 

San  Andres  (St.  Andrew).     See  page  333. 

San  Anselmo  (St.  Anselm).     Sec  page  232. 

San  Antonio  (Si.  Anthony). 

San  Antonio  de  Padua  (St.  Anthony  of  Padua). 
Set-  page  J41. 

San  Ardo  (St.  Ardo),  is  in  Monterey  County. 
St.  Ardo,  in  Latin  Smaraij^dus,  was  a  Benedictine 
monk  who  wrote  a  life  of  St.  Ik-nechct  wliich  is 
considered   rcHablc.      lie  died    in   .S43. 

415 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


San  Augustine  (properly  Agustin),  born  in 
Numidia,  was  the  son  of  Santa  Monica.  "In 
his  youth  he  was  so  devoted  to  pleasure  that 
his  mother  feared  the  destruction  of  his  char- 
acter," but  he  became  converted  by  the  preaching 
of  St.  Ambrose,  and  it  is  thought  that  the  Te 
Deum  was  composed  in  honor  of  the  occasion 
of  his  baptism.  It  is  told  of  him  that  "while 
walking  on  the  sea- shore,  lost  in  meditation 
on  his  great  theme,  the  Discourse  on  the  Trinity, 
he  saw  a  little  child  bringing  water  and  endeavor- 
ing to  fill  a  hole  which  he  had  dug  in  the  sand. 
Augustine  asked  him  the  motive  of  his  labors. 
The  child  said  he  intended  to  empty  all  the  water 
of  the  sea  into  this  cavity.  'Impossible!'  ex- 
claimed St.  Augustine.  'Not  more  impossible,' 
answered  the  child,  'than  for  thee,  O  Augustine, 
to  explain  the  mystery  on  which  thou  art  now 
meditating.'  St.  Augustine  is  the  patron  of 
theologians  and  learned  men." — {Stories  of  the 
Saints.) 

San  Benito  (St.  Benedict).    See  page  i6i. 

San  Bernabe  (St.  Barnabas,  or  Barnaby).  This 
saint  was  a  native  of  Cyprus,  and  a  cousin  of  St. 
Mark.     "He  labored  with  Paul  at  Antioch,  and 

416 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


tradition  says  he  preached  from  the  gospel  of 
St.  Matthew,  written  by  the  Evangelist  himself, 
which  he  carried  always  with  him,  and  that  it 
had  power  to  heal  the  sick  when  laid  upon  their 
bosoms.  He  was  seized  by  the  Jews  and  cruelly 
martyred,  while  preaching  in  Judea." — {Stories  of 
the  Saints.) 

San  Bcrnardiiw  (St.  Bcrnardinus).    See  page  74. 

San  Bernardo  (St.  Bernard).  There  were  two 
saints  of  this  name,  one  born  in  1190  at  Fontaine, 
and  the  other  in  Savoy.  The  latter,  St.  Bernard 
of  Menthon,  is  famous  as  the  founder  of  the  St. 
Bernard  hospitals  in  the  Alps,  where  "the  monks, 
assisted  b\-  their  dogs,  search  out  and  care  for 
travelers  who  are  lost  in  the  passes  of  the  moun- 
tains, where  the  storms  are  severe,  and  the  cold 
intense." 

.S"(/;/  Bruno  (St.   Bruno).     See  page  232. 

Sd)i  Buenaventura  (St.  Bonaventure).  See 
page  95. 

San  Carlos  (St.  Charles).     See  page  138. 

San  Clemente  (St.  Clement j.     See  page  ?y^. 

San  Diegito  (little  St.  James). 

San  Diego  (St.  James).     See  ])age  21. 

San  Dinuis  "])n)l)al)l>'  St.  Dismas,  is  pujjularl) 

417 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


supposed  to  have  been  the  good  or  converted 
robber  on  the  right  side  of  Christ  on  Good  Friday. 
In  places  he  is  celebrated  by  the  Latins  on  March 
25.  The  Greeks  have  him  on  a  much  later  date." 
— (Fray  Zephyrin  Engelhardt,  O.  F.  M).  San 
Dimas  is  the  name  of  a  post- village  in  Los  Angeles 
County. 

San  Domingo  (St.  Dominick).  St.  Dominick 
was  a  Castilian  of  noble  descent,  and  was  the 
originator  of  the  Dominican  Order  of  barefoot 
priests,  and  of  the  use  of  the  rosary. 

Sanel,  the  name  of  a  former  Indian  village  called 
variously  Se-nel,  Sah-nel,  Sai-nel  and  Sanel. 
''Sanel  is  derived  from  cane  (sweathouse) ,  and  was 
the  name  of  a  very  large  village  situated  south 
of  the  town  of  Sanel,  on  the  eastern  side  of  Hop- 
land  Valley." — (Barrett,  in  Univ.  Publ.  in  Arch, 
and  Tech.) 

San  Emygdio,  "English  or  Latin  St.  Emygdius, 
Bishop  and  Martyr,  feast  August  5.  The  Roman 
Martyrolog}^  has  this  on  him:  'St.  Emygdius, 
Bishop  and  Martyr,  was  consecrated  Bishop  by 
Pope  St.  Marcellus  and  sent  to  preach  the  Gospel 
at  Ascoli.  He  received  the  crown  of  Martyrdom 
for  confessing  Christ,  under  Diocletian.'     He  is 

418 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


invoked  against  earthquakes." — (Fray  Zephyrin 
Engelhardt). 

San  Felipe  (St.  Philip).     See  page  i8o. 

San  Fernando  (St.  Ferdinand).     See  page  69. 

San  Francisco  (St.  Francis).     See  page  185. 

San  Francisco  de  las  Llagas  (St.  Francis  of  the 
''stigmata").     See  page  179. 

San   Francisquito    (httle    St.    Francis).      Land 
grant. 

San  Gabriel  (St.  (jabriel).    See  page  66. 

San    Gcronimo    (St.   Jerome).     See  pages  233 
and  340. 

San  Gorgon  io  Mountains  and  Pass  are  in  the 
Coast  Range  in  Southern  California.  Their  patron 
saint,  (iorgonius,  suffered  martyrdom  in  304  at 
Xicomedia  during  the  persecution  of  Diocletian, 
(iorgonius,  who  had  held  a  high  position  in  the 
Emperor's  household,  was  subjected  to  most 
frightful  torments,  and  was  finally  strangled  and 
his  body  thrown  into  the  sea.  Jt  was,  neverthe- 
less, secured  b\'  the  Christians  and  was  afterwards 
carried  to  Ronu'. 

San  Gregorio  (Si.  (iregory).    See  page  2^^^^. 
Sanlgnacio  (St.  Ignatius).    St.  Ignatius  LoNola 
was  the  founder  of  llic  order  of  the   Jesuits.     "In 

419 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


his  youth  he  was  a  page  in  the  court  of  Ferdinand 
the  Cathohc,  and  later  a  brave  and  gay  soldier," 
He  became  a  permanent  cripple  through  being 
severely  wounded  in  both  legs.  Wliile  confined 
by  these  sufferings,  he  devoted  himself  to  reading 
the  life  of  Christ,  and  was  thus  induced  to  take 
up  religious  work.  After  some  years  of  study,  he 
induced  five  men  to  join  him  in  forming  a  com- 
munity under  the  title  of  the  "Company  of 
Jesus,"  whose  especial  duties  are  "first,  preach- 
ing; second,  the  guidance  of  souls  in  confession; 
third,  the  teaching  of  the  young." 

San  Isidro,  also  spelled  Ysidro  (St.  Isidore). 
There  were  two  saints  bearing  this  name.  St. 
Isidore  the  ploughman  could  neither  read  nor 
write,  but  performed  many  miracles.  His  master 
objected  to  the  time  wasted  by  Isidore  in  prayer, 
but  his  objections  were  silenced  when  he  found, 
upon  entering  the  field  one  day,  the  plough  being 
drawn  by  two  angels,  while  St.  Isidore  knelt  at 
his  devotions.  The  other  St.  Isidore  was  Bishop 
of  Seville,  and  in  the  church  in  that  city  bearing 
his  name,  there  is  a  "magnificent  picture  which  re- 
presents him  dying  on  the  steps  of  the  altar,  having 
given  all  his  property  to  the  poor."     See  page  341. 

420 


THEIR      MEANING      AND      ROMANCE 


San  Jacinto  (St.  Hyacinth).  See  pages  83  and 
340. 

San  J  acinic)  Vicjo  (St.  Hyacinth  the  Old). 

San  Joaquin  (St.  Joachim).  See  pages  274  and 
340. 

Sa)ij6n  (deej)  ditcli  or  slough).  Also  spelled 
zanjon. 

Sanjon  dc  los  Moqiiclumnes  (Aloquelumne  slough) . 

San  Jose  (St.  Joseph).    Sec  pages  168  and  340. 

San  Jose  de  Buenos  Aires  (St.  Joseph  of  good 
airs). 

San  Jose  y  Sitr  Cliiqiiito  (St.  Joseph  and  little 
south).  These  are  the  names  of  two  creeks  near 
Monterey. 

San  Juan  Baiitista  (St.  John  the  Baptist). 
See  pages  154  and  340. 

5(7;/  Juan  Cajon  de  Santa  A>m  (St.  John  canyon, 
literally  "box,"  of  St.  Anne).  Deep  canyons 
were  often  called  cajones  (boxes). 

San  Juan  Capistrano.     See  page  35. 

San  Juan  Point  (St.  John  Point).    See  page  83. 

San  Julian  (St.  Julian).  This  seems  to  ha\e 
l)cen  a  favorite  name  for  saints,  since  there  were 
twelve  who  bore  it.  Only  two,  however,  are  of 
special    imj)ortance,    St.    Julian    Hospitator,    and 

421 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


St.  Julian  of  Rimini.  The  first  had  the  fearful 
misfortune  to  kill  his  own  father  and  mother 
through  an  error,  and  to  make  reparation,  he 
built  a  hospital  on  the  bank  of  a  turbulent  stream 
in  which  many  persons  had  been  drowned.  "He 
constantly  ferried  travelers  over  the  river  without 
reward,  and,  one  stormy  night  in  winter,  when  it 
seemed  that  no  boat  could  cross  the  stream,  he 
heard  a  sad  cry  from  the  opposite  bank.  He  went 
over,  and  found  a  youth,  who  was  a  leper,  dying 
from  cold  and  weariness.  In  spite  of  his  disease 
the  saint  carried  him  over,  and  bore  him  in  his 
arms  to  his  own  bed,  and  he  and  his  wife  tended 
him  till  morning,  when  the  leper  rose  up,  and  his 
face  was  transformed  into  that  of  an  angel,  and 
he  said:  'Julian,  the  Lord  hath  sent  me  to  thee; 
for  thy  penitence  is  accepted,  and  thy  rest  is  near 
at  hand'  ....  St.  Julian  is  patron  saint 
of  ferrymen  and  boatmen,  of  travelers  and  of 
wandering  minstrels."  Little  is  known  of  St. 
Julian  of  Rimini  except  that  he  "endured  a  pro- 
longed martyrdom  with  unfailing  courage." — 
{Stories  of  the  Saints.)    See  page  340. 

San  Justo    (St.    Justus).      Little   authentic    is 
known  of  this  saint,  except  that  he  was  the  fourth 

422 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  died  there  about 
627. 

San  Lcaiuiro  (St.  Leander).     See  page  233. 

San  Lorenzo  (St.  Lawrence).     See  page  234. 

San  Lucas  (St.  Luke).     See  page  162. 

San  Luis  Gonzaga  (St.  Louis  Gonzaga).  This 
saint,  also  known  as  St.  Aloysius,  was  the  son  of  a 
noble  Italian  lady,  the  Marchese  di  Castiglione. 
"He  entered  the  Society  of  Jesus  when  not  yet 
eighteen  years  old,  and  became  eminently  dis- 
tinguished for  his  learning,  piety  and  good  works. 
He  died  at  Rome  in  1591  of  fever,  which  he  con- 
tracted while  nursing  the  sick." — {Stories  of  the 
Saints.) 

San  Luis  Obispo  (St.  Louis  the  Bishop).  See 
])ages  I  17  and  340. 

San  Luis  Rev  (St.  Louis  the  king).    See  page  30. 

S(in  Mdrridl  (St.  Martial)  was  the  Bishoj)  of 
Limoges,  and  is  esi)eciall\'  notrd  lOr  the  conxer- 
sions  he  accomplished,  in  particular  that  of  the 
beautiful  virgin  St.  X'alerie,  who  sulTcri'd  marlyr- 
(lom  for  her  faith. 

San  Miireos  (St.  Mark).  "This  exangelist  was  a 
disci])le  of  St.  I'eter.  lie  founded  the  chunh  al 
Alexandria,  and   on   account  of  his   miracles   the 

42.5 


y 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


heathen  accused  him  of  being  a  magician;  and  at 
length,  while  celebrating  the  feast  of  their  god 
Serapis,  they  seized  St.  Mark  and  dragged  him 
through  the  streets  until  he  died.  Then  imme- 
diately there  fell  a  storm  of  hail,  and  a  tempest  of 
lightning  came  with  it  which  destroyed  his  mur- 
derers." His  remains  were  removed  in  A.  D.  815 
to  Venice,  where  the  splendid  cathedral  of  St. 
Mark  was  erected  over  them.  Many  legends  are 
told  of  this  saint,  among  them  the  story  of  his 
having  saved  the  city  of  Venice  from  destruction  by 
demons,  who  raised  a  great  storm  and  came  in  a 
boat  for  that  purpose,  but  were  driven  away  by  St. 
Mark,  who  went  to  meet  them  and  held  up  a  cross. 
San  Marino,  near  Los  Angeles,  was  named  for 
a  saint  who  was  born  in  Dalmatia  in  the  fourth 
century.  He  was  a  poor  laborer  and  was  em- 
ployed in  the  reconstruction  of  the  bridge  of 
Rimini.  His  piety  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
Bishop  of  Brescia,  who  ordained  him  as  a  deacon. 
Marino  retired  to  Mount  Titano,  and  gave  him- 
self up  entirely  to  religious  practices.  His  cell 
attracted  others,  and  this  was  the  origin  of  the 
city  and  republic  of  San  Marino,  the  smallest 
republic  in  the  world. 

424 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


San  Martin  (St.  Martin).  See  pages  i8i  and  340. 
San  Mateo  (St.  Matthew).     See  pages  234  and 

340. 

San  Mateo  Point  (St.  xMatthew  Point).  See 
page  83. 

San  Miguel  (St.  Michael).    See  page  123. 

San  Miguelito   (httle  St.   Michael). 

San  Xicolds  (St.  Nicholas).  Little  that  is 
authentic  can  be  obtained  concerning  the  history 
of  this  saint,  but  there  are  numerous  legends  of 
miracles  performed  by  him,  several  of  them  con- 
nected with  raising  children  from  the  dead,  and 
similar  stories.  St.  Nicholas  is  the  chief  patron 
of  Russia  and  of  many  sea-port  towns,  and  is  the 
])rotector  against  robbers  and  violence.  He  is 
also  the  patron  of  children  and  schoolboys  in  par- 
ticular, and  of  poor  maidens,  sailors,  travelers, 
and  merchants. 

San  Onofre  (St.  Onophrius).    See  page  St,. 

San  Pablo  (St.  Paul).     See  page  234. 

San  Pasqual  (St.  Pascal).  This  saint  was  a 
S])anish  peasant,  born  in  Arag(')ii  in  1540.  He  was 
a  member  of  tlu-  1' raiu  iscan  order,  and  was  re- 
markable for  his  unfailing  courtesy  and  (harity 
to  the  i)oor. 

425 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


San  Pedro  (St.  Peter).     See  page  84. 

San  Pedro,  Santa  Margarita,  y  las  Gallinas 
(St.  Peter,  St.  Margaret,  and  the  chickens) ,  com- 
bined names  of  three  land  grants. 

San  Ouentin  (St.  Quentin).    Seepages  235  and 

341. 

San  Rafael  (St.  Raphael).     See  page  220. 

San  Ramon  (St.  Raymond).    See  page  235. 

San  Simeon  (St.  Simeon).     See  page  128. 

Santa  Ana  (St.  Anne).     See  page  59. 

Santa  Ana  y  Quien  Sabe  (St.  Anne  and  "who 
knows"),  combined  names  of  two  land  grants. 

Santa  Anita  (St.  Annie,  or  little  St.  Anne). 

Santa  Barbara.     See  page  89. 

Santa  Catalina  (St.  Catherine).    See  page  62. 

Santa  Clara  (St.  Clara).     See  page  167. 

Santa  Clara  del  Norte  (St.  Clara  of  the  north). 

Santa  Cruz  (holy  cross).     See  page  153. 

Santa  Fe  (holy  faith),  near  Los  Angeles.  See 
page  341. 

Santa  Cruz  Island.     See  page  10 1. 

Santa  Gertrudis  (St.  Gertrude).  St.  Gertrude 
the  Great  was  a  benedictine  nun  and  mystic 
writer,  born  in  Germany  in  1256.  She  is  especially 
noted  for  her  learning  and  religious  writings,  all  of 

426 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


which  were  written  in  Latin.  She  was  charitable 
to  the  poor  and  had  the  gift  of  miracles. 

Santa  Inez,  also  spelled  Ynez  (St.  Agnes).  See 
pages  109  and  341. 

Santa  Lucia  (St.  Lucy).    See  page  129. 

Santa  Margarita  (St.  Margaret).  See  page  129. 

Santa  Margarita  y  las  Flores  (St.  Margaret  and 
the  flowers),  combined  names  of  two  land  grants. 

Santa  Maria  (St.  Mary).     See  page  no. 

Santa  Monica  (St.  Monica).     See  page  61. 

Santa  Paula  (St.  Paula).     See  page  113. 

Santa  Rita  is  the  name  of  a  village  in  Monterey 
County,  near  Salinas.  The  joatron  saint  of  this 
place  was  bom  at  Rocca  Porena  in  1386  and  died 
in  1456.  Her  feast  day  is  May  22,  and  she  is 
represented  as  holding  roses,  or  roses  and  ligs. 
W'lu-n  but  twelve  years  of  age  Santa  Rita  was  com- 
])elled  by  Ikt  parents  lo  marry  a  cruel,  ill-tem- 
])ere(l  man.  This  man  was  nuirdered,  and  alter 
his  death,  his  widow  desired  to  enter  the  convent 
at  Cascia,  but  was  at  first  refused  admission  on 
account  of  lu-r  widow-iiood.  She  was  liiiahy 
received,  however,  and  so  many  nn'rac  les  were 
reported  to  have  been  ])irforme(l  at  her  inter- 
cession that  she  was  given   in  S])ain   the  title  ol 

4-'7 


PLACE     NAMES     OF      CALIFORNIA 


La  Santa  de  los  Imposihles  (the  saint  of  the  im- 
possibihties), 

Santa  Rosa  (St.  Rose).    See  page  246. 

Santa  Susana  (St.  Susanna).  This  saint,  who 
was  remarkable  for  her  beauty  and  learning,  was 
a  relative  of  the  Emperor  Diocletian,  who  desired 
her  as  a  wife  for  his  adopted  son  Maximus.  St. 
Susanna,  having  made  a  vow  of  chastity,  refused 
this  offer,  and  Diocletian,  angered  by  her  refusal, 
sent  an  executioner  to  kill  her  in  her  own  house. 

Santa  Teresa,  was  born  at  Avila  in  Castile, 
March  28,  151 5.  During  her  earliest  youth, 
through  reading  the  lives  of  the  saints  and  martyrs, 
she  formed  a  desire  to  take  up  religious  work. 
In  accordance  with  this  desire,  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years,  she  entered  the  convent  of  Carmehtes,  and 
chose  as  her  life  work  the  reforming  of  the  order 
of  Mount  Carmel,  as  well  as  the  establishment  of 
a  number  of  convents  for  men.  It  was  she  who 
made  the  Carmelites  go  barefoot,  or  sandalled. 
Santa  Teresa  had  distinct  literary  gifts,  and  her 
history  of  her  life  is  a  work  of  absorbing  interest, 
which  is  still  read  with  genuine  pleasure  by  stu- 
dents of  the  literature  of  Spain.  She  attained  a 
position  of  such  authority  in  that  country  that 

428 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Philip  III  chose  her  for  its  second  patron  saint, 
ranking  her  next  to  Santiago  (St.  James). 

Santa  Yncz.    See  Santa  Inez.    See  page  109  and 

341- 

Santa   Ysahel,  also   spelled  Isabel  (St.  Isabella 

of  France),  who  founded  the  convent  at  Long- 
champs,  was  sister  to  the  sainth'  King  Louis. 
She  was  educated  with  her  brother  b\^  their 
mother,  Blanche  of  Castile.  St.  Isabel  dedicated 
her  convent  to  the  "humility  of  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin," and  gave  to  it  all  her  dowry.  As  long  as  the 
convent  existed  the  festival  of  this  saint  was  cele- 
brated with  great  splendor. —  {Stories  of  Ihe 
Saints.) 

Santia}^o  de  Santa  Ana  (Si.  James  of  St.  Anne). 
Land  grant. 

San  Tinwteo  (St.  Timothy).  St.  Timothy  was 
llu'  hcloxcd  (lisci])l('  of  St.  Paul,  whom  he  accom- 
j)anic(l  on  many  joiiiiioys.  It  is  said  that  lie  was 
Bisho])  of  Ki)hesus,  until  at  thi'  age  of  eighty  years 
he  suffered  the  cruel  fate  of  being  beaten  to  deatli 
by  pagans. 

Sa)i  '/'of)iiis()  (St.  Thomas),  was  a  (iaHlean 
fisherman  and  one  of  the  apostles.  "So  great  was 
his  in(rt'(kiht\    that    he   has  always  been    remem- 

429 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


bered  for  that  rather  than  for  his  other  charac- 
teristics," and  it  was  in  this  way  that  the  famihar 
expression  "a  doubting  Thomas"  arose.  At  the 
time  of  the  ascension  of  the  Virgin,  Thomas 
refused  to  beheve  in  the  event,  and  the  legend 
relates  that  in  order  to  convince  him  the  Virgin 
dropped  her  girdle  to  him  from  the  heavens. 
Three  other  saints  also  bear  this  name,  St.  Thomas 
a  Becket,  the  celebrated  English  historical  char- 
acter; St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  a  grandnephew  of 
Frederick  I  and  a  man  of  great  learning;  and  St. 
Thomas  the  Almoner,  who  was  so  charitable  that 
"as  a  child  he  would  take  off  his  own  clothes  to 
give  away  to  children  in  the  street."  It  is  related 
of  the  last  named  that  he  wore  the  same  hat  for 
twenty-six  years,  and  that  his  whole  life  was  "but 
a  grand  series  of  beneficent  deeds.  When  the 
hour  of  his  death  came  he  had  given  away  every- 
thing except  the  pallet  on  which  he  lay,  and  this 
was  to  be  given  to  a  jailer  who  had  assisted  him 
in  executing  his  benevolent  designs."  There  is 
a  remarkably  beautiful  picture  of  him  by  Murillo, 
representing  him  as  a  child,  dividing  his  clothing 
among  four  ragged  little  ones. 

San  Vicente  (St.  Vincent).     Three  saints  bear 

430 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


this  name.  St.  Vincent  of  Saragosa  was  martyred 
during  the  persecution  of  the  Christians  by 
Diocletian.  Legend  has  it  that  his  remains  were 
guarded  by  crows  or  ravens,  and  when  in  the  year 
1 147  Alonzo  I  removed  them  to  Lisbon,  two  crows 
accompanied  the  vessel,  one  at  the  prow  and  one 
at  the  stern.  In  pictures  St.  Vincent  is  always 
represented  as  accompanied  by  a  crow  or  raven. 
St.  Vincent  Ferraris  was  born  at  Valencia  in  1357. 
He  was  a  celebrated  preacher  and  missionary, 
and  "so  moved  the  hearts  of  his  nearers  that  he 
was  often  obliged  to  pause  that  the  sobbing  and 
weeping  might  subside."  The  third  of  this  name, 
St.  Vincent  de  Paul,  was  the  son  of  a  Gascon 
farmer,  and  his  charities  were  so  various  and  so 
many  as  to  cause  his  name  to  be  revered  by  all, 
irrespective  of  religious  differences.  He  estab- 
lished the  Hospital  La  Madeleine  for  the  Magda- 
lens  of  Paris,  a  foundling  h()S])ital,  and  numerous 
(ithcr  charities.  In  Iruth,  the  i)ractical  good  done 
by  this  man  (hiring  his  life  makes  him  well  worthy 
of  the  title  of  "saint." 

San   Vsidro.     See  San   Isidro.     Sec  page  341. 

Salicoy.     See  ])age  S4. 

Saiirilo  (little  alder). 

431 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Saucos  (alder-trees). 

Sausal   (willow-grove) . 

Saiisalito  (little  willow-grove).     See  page  218. 

Sausal  Redondo  (round  willow-grove).  See 
Redondo  Beach,  page  82. 

El  Segiindo  (the  second),  so  called  because  at 
that  place  the  Standard  Oil  Company's  second 
refinery  on  the  Pacific  Coast  is  located.    Modern. 

Sequoia,  the  giant  tree  of  California,  was  named 
for  the  Cherokee,  Sequoyah,  who  invented  an 
alphabet  for  his  tribe.  Sequoyah,  also  known  as 
George  Gist,  or  Guess,  was  the  son  of  a  white 
man  and  a  Cherokee  woman  of  mixed  blood,  and 
was,  after  all,  more  white  man  than  Indian.  He 
had  a  natural  genius  for  mechanical  invention, 
and,  having  been  crippled  for  life  in  a  hunting 
accident,  he  occupied  his  time  in  devising  the 
alphabet,  which  was  accepted  with  such  enthusi- 
asm by  his  people  that  every  Cherokee,  of  what- 
ever age,  had  learned  to  read  and  write  in  a  few 
months.  Sequoia,  although  not  a  place  name,  is 
given  here  for  the  interest  it  may  have  for  tourists 
and  other  persons  unacquainted  with  the  origin 
of  the  name  of  the  famous  "big  trees." 

Serena  (serene).     See  page  113.     This  name  is 

432 


THEIR     MEANING      AND     ROMANCE 


spelled  on  some  maps  as  Screno,  but  is  called  Serena 
by  the  people  of  the  neighborhood. 

Serra  (a  surname).     See  page  84. 

Sespe,  named  for  a  former  Chumash  Indian 
village  said  by  Indians  to  have  been  on  Sespe 
Creek,   in  Ventura   County. 

Shasta.     See  page  251. 

Sierra  (saw,  saw-toothed  mountains).  See 
page  293. 

Sierra  Madre  (mother  sierra).    See  page  293. 

Sierra  Morena  (brown  range)  is  the  name  of  a 
spur  of  the  Coast  Range  commencing  about  ten 
miles  south  of  San  Francisco  and  running  through 
San  Francisco  County  into  Santa  Clara  County. 
This  mountain  range,  which  contains  some  very 
charming  scenery,  may  have  been  so  named  on 
account  of  its  color,  or  it  may  be  the  namesake  of 
the  Sierra  Morena  of  Spain.  The  name  is  some- 
times spelled  Moreno,  and  one  of  the  possibilities 
is  that  it  was  named  for  the  i)ioneer  Moreno  familx'. 

Sierra  Xevada  (snowy  sierra).     See  page  293. 

Si}ni,   in   \'entura   Count)',   is  an    Indian   ])lace 
name. 
• — Siskiyou.     See  page  256. 

Sis  Qkoc,  a  town  and   ri\rr  in   Santa  Barbara 

433 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


County,  named  from  Souscoc,  a  former  Chumash 
village  near  the  Santa  Inez  Mission. 

Sohrante  (residue,  surplus),  a  term  applied  to 
a  piece  of  land  left  over  after  measuring  off  land 
grants. 

Sohrante  de  San  Jacinto^  residue  of  the  grant 
called  St.  Hyacinth. 

Solano.     See  page  268. 

Soledad  (sohtude).     See  page  151. 

Somis,  in  Ventura  County,  is  an  Indian  place 
name. 

Sonoma.     See  page  241. 

Sonora.     See  page  333. 

Soquel,  or  Souqitcl,  was  probably  derived  from 
Usacalis,  a  Costanoan  Indian  village  situated  in 
181 9  within  ten  miles  of  the  Santa  Cruz  Mission. 

Soscol.     See  Suscol. 

Sotoyome,  a  former  Chumash  Indian  village 
near  Santa  Inez  Mission,  in  Santa  Barbara  County. 

Stanislaus.     See  page  275. 

Suerte,  a  word  of  many  meanings  (luck,  chance, 
lot  of  ground).  In  the  apportionment  of  land  by 
the  Spaniards  a  suerte  was  a  cultivable  lot  of  land 
granted  to  colonists  near  the  pueblos  and  within 
the  four  leagues  assigned  to  the  pueblo.    Each 

434 


THEIR      MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


suerte  consisted  of  two  hundred  varas  of  length 
and  two  hundred  of  breadth,  a  vara  being  about 
thirty-three  inches.  Thus  one  siierte  is  one  lot 
(of  land),  and  not,  as  one  writer  has  translated  it, 
''one  chance."    Dos  suertes  is  two  lots. 

Siiisim.     See  page  269. 

Siifwl  (a  surname).    See  pages  236  and  341. 

Sur  (south).  For  Point  Sur  see  page  162.  In 
this  vicinity  the  scenery  is  remarkably  pictur- 
esque. 

Del  Sur  (of  the  south),  is  in  Los  Angeles  County. 

Suscol  was  the  name  of  a  Moquelumnan  tribe 
who  lived  in  a  \illage  on  the  east  bank  of  Napa 
River.     See  Soscol. 

Tahoc.     See  page  306. 

Tallac,  an  Indian  word,  meaning  not  ascer- 
tained. 

Tamalpais.     See  i)age  213. 

Tambo  (South  American  lOr  inn,  or  liotcl,  so 
called  because  in  early  days  there  was  a  st()pi)ing 
place  in  this  \icinity  for  travelers  crossing  the 
continent.    Near  Marysville. 

Tenaya  Peak,  in  Yosemite  \'alle\-,  named  for 
Ten-ei-ya,  chief  of  the   N'osemite   Indians. 

Tasajara,  the  name  of  a  resort  near  Monterey, 

435 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


is  probably  a  corruption  of  tasajera,  a  place  where 
jerked  meat  is  hung  up  to  cure.  Tassajara  in 
Contra  Costa  County,  and  Tasajero  creek  in 
Contra  Costa  and  Alameda  Counties  are  probably 
different  spellings  of  the  same  word. 

Tecolote  (owl). 

Tehachapi.     See  page  289. 

Tehama.     See  page  265. 

El  Tejon  (the  badger),  is  in  Kern  County. 
Tejon  Pass  is  badger  pass. 

Temecida.  See  page  47.  Temecula  is  in  the 
southern  part  of  Riverside  County. 

Temescal  (sweathouse) .     See  page  70. 

Teqiiisqiiite  is  an  Aztec  word,  probable  meaning 
salt-petre. 

Tia  Juana.     See  page  47. 

Tihuron  (shark).    See  page  220, 

Tierra  Seca  (dry  land). 

Tocaloma.     See  page  236. 

Todos  Santos  (all  saints), 

Todos  Santos  y  San  Antonio  (all  saints  and  St. 
Anthony). 

Tolenos,  in  Yolo  County,  is  probably  a  misspel- 
ling of  Yolenos,  from  the  Indian  Yolo.  See  page 
268. 

436 


X 


n 

H 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


Tohica,  near  Los  Angeles,  is  probably  derived 
from  Tolujaa,  or  Tilijaes^  a  tribe  among  the 
original  ones  at  San  Juan  Capistrano  in  1731, 
although  there  is  also  a  place  named  Toluca  in 
Mexico. 

Tomales.     See  page  236. 

Topo  Creek  (gopher  creek). 

Toro  (bull).     See  pages  85  and  163. 

Toros  (bulls). 

Tortuga  (turtle,  tortoise). 

Trabuco  (blunderbuss,  a  sort  of  wide-mouthed 
gun),  but  it  may  not  be  used  in  that  sense  in  this 
case.  See  page  85.  Trabuco  Canyon  is  in  Orange 
County. 

Tram  pa  del  Oso  (bear  trap). 

Trampas  (traps,  snares),  perhaps  named  in 
reference  to  traps  which  were  in  common  use 
among  the  Indians  to  catch  game,  as  well  as  their 
human  enemies.      In   Contra  Costa  County. 

TriUiquilUhi  MoHuia'ni  is  in  Santa  Barbara 
County,  iranquillon  is  a  mixture  of  two  kinds 
of  grain,  such  as  wheat  and  rye,  calkd  in  English 
"mastlin,"  or  ''mash'n." 

Tres  Ojos  dc  Ai^iui   ftliroe  springs  of  water). 

Tres  l^inos.     See  page  ibi,. 

439 


PLACE     NAMES     OF     CALIFORNIA 


Trigo  (wheat),  is  128  miles  from  Stockton. 

Trinity  County.     See  page  257. 

Trinidad  Bay  and  town.     See  page  257. 

Triunjo  (triumph),  is  in  Los  Angeles  County. 

Tropico  (tropical),  near  Los  Angeles. 

Truckee.     See  page  305. 

Tulare  (place  of  rushes).     See  page  281. 

Tidarcitos  (Httle  rushes,  Httle  Tulare  ranch). 

Tiducay  Rancho,  near  Napa  State  Hospital,  is 
derived  from  the  Indian  word  tiduka  (red). 

Tunitas  is  a  place  near  San  Francisco  on  the 
Ocean  Shore  Road.  The  tunita  is  a  beach  plant 
sometimes  called  the  "beach  apple."  Tuna  is 
the  Spanish  name  for  the  common  cactus  known 
as  "prickly  pear." 

Tuolumne.     See  page  315. 

Tustin  (a  surname),  a  place  in  Orange  County, 
near  Santa  Ana.  Fernando  Tustin  was  one  of  the 
early  settlers,  and  came  to  California  in  1845. 

Ukiah.     See  page  262. 

Usal,  in  Mendocino  County.  This  is  an  Indian 
word,  derived  from  yosal,  or  yusal,  the  name  of 
a  tribe  of  Pomos,  living  on  the  coast  from  Usal 
northward. 

Las  Uvas  (the  grapes).  See  page  163. 


440 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROMANCE 


Vacaville.     See  page  289. 

Vale?icia  Peak,  near  San  Luis  Obispo.  Valencia 
is  a  surname. 

Valle  (valley). 

Vallecito  (little  valley)  is  the  name  of  places  in 
Calaveras  and  San  Diego  Counties.    See  page  334. 

Los  Vallecitos  de  San  Marcos  (the  little  valleys 
of  St.  .Mark). 

Vallejo  (a  surname).    See  pages  236  and  341. 

]'alle  Mar  (sea  valley),  on  the  Ocean  Shore, 
near  San  Francisco.  Improper  construction.  It 
should  be  Valle  del  Mar  (valley  of  the  sea). 

\'alle  de  San  Felipe  (valley  of  St.  Philip). 

Dos   Valles  (two  valleys). 

Valle  de  San  Jose  (valley  of  St.  Joseph). 

Valle  Verde  (green  valley).     See  page  85. 

Valle  Visla  (valley  view).  See  page  85. 
proj)er  construction.  It  should  be  Vista  del 
(view  of  the  \alley). 

Vega,  an  open  plain,  or  tract  of  lc\cl  land. 
is  also  a  surname. 

Iais  Vegas  (the  meadows).  Fremont  refers  to 
the  vegas  of  the  Southern  Central  Valle\  in  these 
terms:  "We  encamped  in  the  midst  of  another 
very  large  basin,  at  a  camping  ground  called  Las 

441 


Im- 

'alle 


\ega 


PLACE     NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


Vegas,  a  term  which  the  Spaniards  use  to  signify 
fertile  or  marshy  plains,  in  contradistinction  to 
llanos,  which  they  apply  to  dry  and  sterile  plains." 

Vega  del  Rio  del  Pdjaro  (plain  of  the  river  of  the 
bird). 

Venado  (deer),  is  in  Colusa  County. 

Ventura  (fortune).     See  page  113. 

Verano  (summer),  is  west  of  Napa. 

Verde  (green),  twelve  miles  from  San  Luis 
Obispo. 

Verdugo  (a  surname  in  this  case).    See  page  85. 

Los  Vergeles  (flower  gardens,  beautiful  or- 
chards). 

Vicente  Point  (Point  Vincent).     See  page  85. 

Viento  (wind),  is  in  San  Bernardino  County. 

Las  Vir genes  (the  virgins).    See  page  341. 

Vista  (view),  in  San  Diego  County. 

Bella  Vista  (beautiful  view). 

Buena  Vista  (good  view). 

Chula  Vista  (charming  view).     See  page  42. 

Vista  Grande  (large  view),  is  in  San  Mateo 
County. 

Monte  Vista  (mountain  view).  Improper  con- 
struction. It  should  be  Vista  del  Monte  (view  of 
the  mountain). 


442 


THEIR     MEANING     AND      ROMANCE 


Rio  Vista  (river  view).  See  page  289.  Improper 
construction.  It  should  be  Vista  del  Rio  (view  of 
the  river). 

Vizcaino  Cape,  named  for  the  celebrated  Span- 
ish explorer  Sebastian  Vizcaino,  who  touched  at 
various  points  on  the  California  coast  in  the  year 
1602. 

Volcdn  (volcano). 

Wall  toque  is  an  Indian  word  meaning  "pine 
nut,"  the  name  of  a  place  near  Fresno. 

Wawona,  an  Indian  word  of  disputed  meaning. 
See  page  334. 

Weitclipec,  near  Hoopa  valley,  Humboldt 
County.  "The  Weitspekan  family  consisted  of 
the  Yurok  tribe  alone,  inha.^iting  the  lower  Kla- 
math Ri\er  and  adjacent  coast.  The  name  is 
adapted  from  W'citspekw,  the  name  of  a  spring 
in  the  village.  At  the  site  of  the  present  postoOice 
of  Weitchpec  was  one  of  the  most  populous  Yurok 
villages,  and  one  of  only  two  or  three  at  which 
both  the  Deerskin  dance  and  the  jum])ing  dance 
were  held." — (A.  L.  Kroebcr  in  Ihuidbook  of 
Anirriciui  Ifidians.) 

Las  Vegiias  (tin-  marc^s),  referring  to  a  pasture 
where  mares  were  kept. 

443 


PLACE     NAMES     OF      CALIFORNIA 


Yerba  Buena  (good  herb).     See  page  205. 

YokoJil,  in  Tulare  County.  This  was  the  name 
of  a  Yokuts  tribe  formerly  living  on  the  Kaweah 
River,  Tulare  County. 

Yolo.     See  page  268. 

Yorba  (a  surname).  This  was  the  name  of  one 
of  Captain  Fages'  original  Catalan  volunteers. 
Yorba  is  near  Los  Angeles. 

Yosemite  (grizzly  bear).     See  page  321. 

Yreka.     See  page    258. 

Yuba.     See  page  266. 

Yucaipe,  in  San  Bernardino  County,  is  an 
Indian  place  name. 

Zamora,  probably  named  for  the  province  of 
the  same  name  in  the  ancient  kingdom  of  Leon,  in 
Spain.  There  is  an  old  proverb  about  this  place 
which  says:  "No  se  gano  Zamora  en  una  hora" 
(Zamora  was  not  taken  in  an  hour),  the  same  idea 
as  expressed  in  ''Rome  was  not  built  in  a  day." 
Za paler 0  Creek  (shoemaker  creek). 


444 


THEIR     MEANING     AND     ROIMANCE 


ADDENDA 

Las  Calahazas  means  "the  squashes"  or  "the 
gourds,"  particularly  with  reference  to  the  wild 
gourds  that  grow  in  that  locality. — (Mr.  Charles 
F,  Lummis.) 

El  CJwrro  (the  gushing  stream),  is  the  name  of 
a  creek  near  San  Luis  Obispo,  and  was  so  named 
from  a  waterfall  on  its  course. 

Garvanza  is  a  corrupt  word,  possibly  corrupted 
from  garhanzo  (chick-pea).  The  town  name  is  a 
modern  one,  not  given  by  Spaniards  but  by  tender- 
feet,  and  there  is  no  known  reason  for  its  appli- 
cation.— (Mr.  Charles  F.  Lummis.) 

Leon  turns  out  not  to  be  of  Spanish  origin. 

In  a  recent  ])ubHcation  on  a  California  subject 
the  definition  of  Palo  Alio  is  given  as  "high  hill," 
and  of  Palo  Wiutr  as  "green  hill,"  bolh  of  which 
are,  of  course,  incorrect.  Anxonc  who  will  take 
the  trouble  to  consult  an  ordinary  S])anish  dic- 
tionary will  lind  that  l>alo  means  "stick."  As 
stated  elsewhere  in  this  book,  the  Sj)aniar(ls  used 
this  word  in  the  sense  of  "tree,"  and  Palo  Alto 
consequently  means  "high   tree,"  as  is  fully  set 

445 


PLACE      NAMES      OF      CALIFORNIA 


forth  under  the  heading  of  this  name  in  these  pages. 
The  meaning  of  Palo  Verde  is,  of  course,  "green 
tree." 

Pecho  (breast)  Rock  is  so  named  from  the  shape 
of  the  rock. 

Prado  (meadow)  is  a  modern  name  apphed  with- 
out much  regard  for  its  fitness. — (Mr.  Charles  F. 
Lummis.) 

Rivera  should  be  spelled  with  a  ''b  '  instead  of  a 
"v."  It  means  "banksof  a  stream,"  and  the  name 
is  given  for  this  reason. — (Mr.  Charles  F.  Lummis.) 

Serena  (serene)  is  incomplete  in  this  form,  as 
Spaniards  do  not  use  an  adjective  standing  alone 
as  a  place  name.  It  may  have  been  originally  La 
Ensenada  Serena  (the  serene  bay)  in  reference 
to  the  charming  little  cove  situated  there. 

Triunfo  (triumph)  is  a  modern  real  estate  name, 
and  has  no  historical  significance  that  can  be  dis- 
covered.— (Mr.  Charles  F.  Lummis.) 


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